"The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus stands as a timeless tribute to the enduring symbol of the Statue of Liberty. Through Lazarus's eloquent words, the poem paints a picture of hope, freedom, and the enduring promise of a better life that has welcomed countless immigrants to America's shores.
The New Colossus
Emma Lazarus
1883
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 Exiles1. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridges harbor that twin cities frame. “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp2!” 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!”