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The Monday Poem (old) > The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus January 15, 2018

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message 1: by Susie (new)

Susie | 179 comments The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”


message 2: by Susie (last edited Jan 15, 2018 01:30PM) (new)

Susie | 179 comments Sorry I'm a little late in posting...😉

This is the poem posted at the base of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor.
Since we celebrate MLK Jr today and in view of comments made about immigrants recently, thought this was a good time to post.
Good to remind ourselves of the values and ideals on which our country is based
The emotions and visuals it brings up always touches me deeply.
One of my favorites!


message 3: by Joan (new)

Joan Thanks, important sentiments

The line “keep ancient lands your storied pomp”

Makes me think of Ronald Reagan’s comment on 1/19/1989

“A man wrote me and said: "You can go to live in France, but you cannot become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or a Japanese. But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American."

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pi...


message 4: by Susie (new)

Susie | 179 comments Love that quote...thanks for posting. A perfect addition to this poem and thread...


message 5: by Nichole (last edited Jan 16, 2018 06:36PM) (new)

Nichole | 554 comments I love this poem, Susie. Thanks!


message 6: by Joan (new)

Joan Yes Susie, it was nice for me because the poem dredged up the memory of Reagan’s statement but I’d forgotten the details. Rereading both was reassuring.


message 7: by Leslie (new)

Leslie | 16369 comments A nice choice for MLK day! This is a new poem to me but I love it already.


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