An avalanche of denial and grief crashed into Anna. She staggered toward a war memorial in a triangular square, held on to a granite base, then lowered herself onto a concrete curb and curled up her legs. Monument Square is a triangular downtown plaza. Since 1891, the focal point has been the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, a tribute to Portland Union servicemen who died in the Civil War. The 14-foot bronze figure personifies Minerva, the Roman goddess of war and wisdom.
