Fear Her… Fear Liberty

"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!"

"Fear Liberty" �" Original multimedia artwork, 12 July 2019, by D. Denise Dianaty

Fear her… Fear Liberty

Once upon a time of hope…
Liberty shone her light,
welcoming unto the world

Proclaiming covenant…

The America she shown upon
Now dims… now hides her light,
unkind… harsh… unwelcoming…

Denying covenant…

No quarter for those tempest-tost
No hope they may breathe free
No more the Mother of Exiles

Covenant is broken…

Your huddled masses turned away…
Her lamp, not lifted… shuttered.
The Golden Door is dross.

Fear her… Fear Liberty.

©12 July 2019, by D. Denise Dianaty

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

wonderful artwork to go with the poem...yes liberty is out of focus now...and she just does not hold the same torch she once did...i almost feel embarrassed...she was different when i lived close to her in the fifties...we seemed a different country then...
but maybe we weren't then either...this poem is so powerful...
I feel this one...having been in her when i was a kid...and driving past her so often.
j.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you. Actually, the artwork inspired the poem. It's the way so much of my poetry has always formed.

I feel much the same. I've never had the honor of visiting the Statue of Liberty. But, the ideals she always embodied made me proud to call myself an American. Now… [sigh] Now, I don't recognize my country. I don't feel much like an American in such times.

[MomzillaNC]

In case you're interested, I just put up a new post of this poem as a spoken word piece.

[Samuel Dickens]

I share your feelings on this and am heartbroken and outraged. This is not us... this is not how my America behaves. Powerful stuff, this poem.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you, Samuel. It is heartbreaking. I never felt unwelcome in my own country before. But, my naturalized citizen Iranian-American husband is not welcome. My half Persian son is not welcome. I cannot feel welcome when they are unwelcome.

[barleygirl]

I live in an agricultural area which is dependent upon immigrants, yet the moderately rich upper crust of whites around here are very much against immigration. Since I have a hundred or more Facebook friends from this area (most I went to high school with), I get their rhetoric all the time in my newsfeed. They simply cannot grasp what you are saying here. It's a tragic gap of understanding. I love your poem & it can't be said often enuf & in different ways by all of us who feel this passionately (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you so much. And, very well said. If you're interested, I just posted a spoken word reading of this poem but moments ago.

[Mary]

Beautiful Lady Liberty has been sold out for a "good economy,." Thank you for this poem, for we must all speak out lest be be complicit

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you. Because I'm almost completely homebound due to my health issues, I cannot protest in person. But, I can, will, and do use my Art and my writing in protest!

[MomzillaNC]

I just posted a spoken word rendition of this poem and another of the "The Unraveling…"

[Robert Trakofler]

This is exactly how I feel too! I am ashamed of what we are allowing to happen and I am so saddened by the dehumanization and prejudices that’s being enforced by our government. This is not us this not the United for which we stand and I’m so disgusted and sickened by it! I love your lines and I like the form of them. It’s nice to meet you Mom:)

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you.

I too want so much to believe that "this is not us" – especially for the sake of my immigrant Iranian-American husband, and for our Iranian-American son.

Sadly, history shows it has been us – it was us with the Indigenous Americans; it was us with the African American slaves; it was us when America deported over a million of our own Mexican American citizens during The Great Depression; it was us with the interment camps for Japanese Americans. It has been us.

It is us.

[Robert Trakofler]

It is not me...
I will be campaigning with a great deal more fervor this next election! If I told you how many windows have been smashed at my building over the years for supporting candidates you would laugh your bum off and I will still keep doing it last election cycle I registered over 100 young voters and this year already went thru 50 registration forms and have a year to go yet:) I will not be silent I will not just sit back and watch this happen like it’s just bad tv! I will be going to a protest in DC we all need to stand up and fight

[MomzillaNC]

Bravo! I wish I could go to the protests. I'm all but homebound due to my health. Through my art and my writing are the ways I protest.

[Robert Trakofler]

dont stop is that your painting?

[MomzillaNC]

I couldn't stop any more than I could stop breathing.

[Robert Trakofler]

giant smile

[MomzillaNC]

I just posted a spoken word delivery of my poem, "The Unraveling…" and am about to post one of "Fear Her… Fear Liberty."

[Sami Khalil]

Note: By the way
Respect of a country, its symbols should be earned and admired by people freely not earning that by fears and fear mongering. The first one is permanent, the other is temporary and spiteful.

[MomzillaNC]

I still believe this is a temporary darkness, an eclipse of the American Ideal. But, if the cause isn't brought to an end soon… I think the light will go out forever.

[Sami Khalil]

I pray about it. You are welcome.

[Sami Khalil]

I feel her face has changed along with the face of the country. A renowned symbol of America worldwide, her vision and her inspiration to the world. You can't put a price on that. People believe in ideas. Whether it defines a nation, a flag or a people, it serves as the rallying bases behind like the constitution of the US. Some solutions are hard but doable. I came here as an immigrant and I'm proud to be part and parcel of this great idea and experiment. An excellent write dear poet.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you. My husband is an immigrant too. Maybe that's why our current straits hurt so deeply. I know that my Iranian-American husband would find no entry now.

[Sami Khalil]

I do agree. Say hello to him from me. I know Arabs and Iranians look up a d respect the US. You are welcome. God bless.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you, Sami. BTW, I just posted a spoken word reading of this poem, if you're interested.

[Sami Khalil]

:::::::)))))))))

[Chris]

Strong thoughts ...Our world has changed and yet remained as it ever has been. Fear and uncertainty remain high points in our lives ...we all learned at one point in our lives nothing is ever"free" - everything comes with a price ...even a 'future'.

[MomzillaNC]

Yes, even freedom and compassion come at a price too many are not willing to pay. Thanks for reading my poem and commenting.

[Chris]

You expressed yourself very well!

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you.

[MomzillaNC]

IDK if you're interested, but I've posted this same poem as a new post in spoken word form.