poetry How does it end?

The award-winning poet Marge Piercy decries America’s refugee policies that would make an earlier poet, Emma Lazarus, weep.

Marge Piercy Monthly Review
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How does it end?

By Marge Piercy

From Guatemala, from El Salvador,

Honduras they travel overland

with little, with nothing but hope

out of terror, from rape and murder

 

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with daughters and sons. babies

they hope they’re carrying to safety.

They believe the old promises.

Here you will be safe, here there’s

work no white American wants.

You’ll save to save family members.

This will be a home forever.

Here you will not cower in fear.

They cross and are treated

worse than thieves, shoved

into overcrowded camps, into

cages like dogs no one wants.

Here the children they fled so far

to save are ripped from them

penned like sheep, alone in crowds

crying, confused, terrified again.

Oh, Emma Lazarus, could you see,

would you recognize this country?

France, you must take back that lady

with her now extinguished torch.

  Copyright 2018 by Marge Piercy

Marge Piercy has published 19 poetry collections, recently Made in Detroit (Knopf); 17 novels including Sex Wars.  PM Press reissued Vida, Dance the Eagle to Sleep; they brought out short stories The Cost of Lunch, Etc and My Body, My Life [essays, poems]. She has read at over 500 venues here and abroad.