There are no gods amongst men

As a shrine, we salute, make immortal

Who, though, withstands the public gaze

Stands the test of time in changing tides

History has a brutal past; lest we forget

Today a hero; tomorrow, a villain, truth catches up

Some victories take generations to right the wrongs

And so some statues do not stand the test of time

Injustice must be removed, but by who?

How to heal the past and brighten the day

Art soothes the soul and nourishes the mind

Let art be the light that marks the time

Finding beauty, exposing the life of an ever-changing muse

Sculpting a better tomorrow while reflecting on the past 

-Camille Delaquise

This poem appears in The Precipice, Camille’s third contemporary poetry collection. There are no gods amongst men explores the instability of public virtue and historical memory — questioning who is elevated, who is condemned, and how art might offer a more humane way of reckoning with the past while shaping a better future.

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