I have a name, but it isn't my name. My face shows signs of age. I always mean the same thing, no matter what I say. I'm born in mourning, and I last 'til the end of days. Men plant me, but I never grow. They run from me, but I never move. They look at me and see their future, rotting in the fields where I bloom. What am I?

Why this works

This riddle cleverly describes a tombstone by playing on its various characteristics. The phrase "I have a name, but it isn't my name" refers to how tombstones often bear the names of the deceased rather than the stone itself. "My face shows signs of age" points to the wear and tear tombstones endure over time. The line "I always mean the same thing, no matter what I say" indicates that a tombstone's purpose remains constant: to mark a grave. The phrases "born in mourning" and "I last 'til the end of days" highlight the somber occasion of a burial and the permanence of a tombstone. "Men plant me, but I never grow" speaks to how tombstones are placed in the ground but are inanimate. Additionally, "They run from me, but I never move" captures the common fear of death and graves. Finally, the line about seeing one's future "rotting in the fields where I bloom" reflects the inevitability of death, as tombstones symbolize the final resting place for all. Each clue intricately weaves together to paint a vivid picture of a tombstone's role and significance.