Emma Lazarus
Most common moods
Most common topics
Poems
Oft have I brooded on defeat and pain,
The pathos of the stupid, stumbling throng.
These I ignore to-day and only long
To pour my soul forth in one trumpet strain,
One clear, grief-shattering, triumphant song,
For all the victories of man's high endeavor,
Palm-bearing, laurel deeds that live forever,
The splendor clothing him whose will is strong.
Hast thou beheld the deep, glad eyes of one
Who has persisted and achieved? Rejoice!
On naught diviner shines the all-seeing sun.
Salute him with free heart and choral voice,
'Midst flippant, feeble crowds of spectres wan,
The bold, significant, successful man.
Biography
Born in New York City, she began writing poetry as a teenager. Her early work was influenced by Romanticism, but she later turned to Jewish themes and Zionist advocacy. In 1883 she wrote ‘The New Colossus’ to raise funds for the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal; the poem welcomed immigrants with its famous lines. Her collection ‘Songs of a Semite’ (1882) explored Jewish identity and history. She also translated Jewish poets and was a prominent voice for refugees. Her significance lies in bridging American poetry with social activism, and she remains an enduring symbol of immigration and American ideals.
