Monuments

After hours upon hours of flat brown cornfields,

finally the gray-blue peaks begin to fade into view.

The distance and the fog soften the sharp edges.

Even surrounded by creations of man,

The untamed mountains stand their ground,

Watching over, reminding us of their presence.

They draw those who need a break from city,

and the heat of the dry summer day

makes the windy summits even more appealing.

From a distance they are calm and serene,

But closer they become more imposing.

The details that became invisible far away begin to reappear.

The sharp rock faces, the jagged lines created by the trees,

the wildness of them returns.

The reason they exist is apparent.

We have tried to control them,

but solidly they stand, reminding us

how small, how temporary, how insignificant we are.