Reading the Relief

Turning off the avenue into the corner pocket park, I discovered an upright granite plinth bearing a cast bronze commemorative plaque. The raised Roman numerals detailed the dedication of the municipal commons in eighteen-ninety-four. A stiff oak twig had wedged itself across the relief of the heraldic laurel border, interrupting the symmetry of the casting. Stepping firmly onto the beveled stone footing, I gripped the dried twig with both hands and eased it out from the bronze groove without a scrape. With the edge of my sleeve, I swept away the residual grit from the raised seal, restoring the historical record to immaculate, legible decorum.