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CREDITS Poetry: Emma Lazarus (1849-1887)
Voice-Over: Katy Mantyk
Photos/Footage: “Unveiling the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World” by Edward Moran, 1886 (Public Domain) Music: “Slow Walk Into The Sunset” by Alexander Nakarada (www.serpentsoundstudios.com) Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
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. . Instructions Set in Bone With my own knife, by my own hand, I carve these words in no-man’s-land...
. The Color Plaid At Christmastime, when I was just a lad Of eight or nine, my aunt would bring...
Roy, again you have aptly captured one of life’s great truths. Thanks for the nice morning read.
I love your reference to the Louisa May Alcott quote!
I appreciate your comment, Sephen.
So true, Briana. Thank you for your comments.
Jeffrey This “philosophical” poem is artfully constructed. You have written three 6-line stanzas exact rhymed a-b-c-b-a-c; iambic pentameter (5 )…
Thank you, Katy. That’s one of my favourite poems. Well read.
Wonderfully written and read – thank you! Michael Maibach
This is a gorgeous setting of a poem which is stunning in its generosity and humility. Emma Lazarus captured so much of the American spirit in only a very few words. The combination of the visual, the music and Katy’s spot-on reading is both moving and inspiring. Well done. I didn’t want it to end.
It’s hard to add to these comments. Sometimes perfect poems arise from unexpected places. As I listened, Katy, I felt that you embodied, represented, and channeled Lady Liberty herself. It’s just too bad that current circumstances require that we back off from some of the extravagant promises suggested in the poem. How different things might be if the invaders on our southern borders were required to pass through New York Harbor.
I have a huge model of the Statue of Liberty on my mantelpiece to which I gazed whilst taking in the words of this inspiring poem, beautifully delivered to the perfect Hans Zimmer-like soundtrack. Evan and Katy, full marks for this.
This poem has one of the most powerful and deathless images in all poetry: the words “Mother of Exiles.” I get a lump in my throat whenever I read that.
My mother’s first name was Liberty.
I have a slim volume of Lazarus’ poetry. I think she’s been greatly under-appreciated.