Despite the Hate

[elke]

The Choice

I saw in dream the spirits unbegot
Veiled, floating phantoms, lost in twilight space;
For one the hour had struck, he paused; the place
Rang with an awful Voice:
"Soul, choose thy lot!
Two paths are offered; that, in velvet-flower,
Slopes easily to every earthly prize.
Follow the multitude and bind thine eyes,
Thou and thy sons' sons shall have peace with power.
This narrow track skirts the abysmal verge,
Here shalt thou stumble, totter, weep and bleed,
All men shall hate and hound thee and thy seed,
Thy portion be the wound, the stripe, the scourge.
But in thy hand I place my lamp for light,
Thy blood shall be the witness of my Law,
Choose now for all the ages!"
Then I saw
The unveiled spirit, grown divinely bright,
Chose the grim path. He turned, I knew full well
The pale, great martyr-forehead shadowy-curled,
The glowing eyes that had renounced the world,
Disgraced, despised, immortal Israel.

Emma Lazarus

[Mediocrates]

She wrote the words on the base of the Statue of Liberty, yes? Damn fine socialist woman (and gay too!)

[elke]

Yes, she wrote the Statue of Liberty inscription, and she was Socialist (from a very wealthy family ). Don't know whether she was gay .

I picked up this book today, and this poem was just so wonderful...