Refugees
Refugees are turned away25 total reviews
Comment from Shanbreen
I wish we would allow refugees to come to our shores -- at least in proportion to what the Germans are doing. In the end, their plight will be forgotten just like the Jews who couldn't land in Miami -- just like the poor children who are separated from their parents. Your rhyming poem is very powerful. One thing: Do you think you could uses "lamps" instead of "lamp" in:
The freedom statue dimmed her lamp.
Two hundred fifty died in camps.
I'm using a bit of poetic freedom in getting the point across rather than being exact. How about, Two hundred and fifty died in a camp"? -- or any such combination.
I don't know why I'm stuck on this, but it didn't roll off my tongue as easily as the other rhyming words did.
Great poem, otherwise.
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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I wish we would allow refugees to come to our shores -- at least in proportion to what the Germans are doing. In the end, their plight will be forgotten just like the Jews who couldn't land in Miami -- just like the poor children who are separated from their parents. Your rhyming poem is very powerful. One thing: Do you think you could uses "lamps" instead of "lamp" in:
The freedom statue dimmed her lamp.
Two hundred fifty died in camps.
I'm using a bit of poetic freedom in getting the point across rather than being exact. How about, Two hundred and fifty died in a camp"? -- or any such combination.
I don't know why I'm stuck on this, but it didn't roll off my tongue as easily as the other rhyming words did.
Great poem, otherwise.
Comment Written 05-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Hi Shanbreen. I thought about lamps but the Statue of Liberty has only one lamp. I still may change it. We could see if anyone complains that she has only one lamp. I wanted to put liberty in the line but the meter would not allow it. I can try it your way. I am not sure they were all in the same camp, but in any case camp vs camps requires an extra syllable. I?ll
Do it. Thank you for your suggestion and for your awesome review
Comment from gramag4
WOW... what an emotional presentation! So few words so succinctly capture all the pain and anguish of this ugly scar on humanity. A vivid word picture. PROFOUND!
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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WOW... what an emotional presentation! So few words so succinctly capture all the pain and anguish of this ugly scar on humanity. A vivid word picture. PROFOUND!
Comment Written 05-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Hi gramag4. Nice to see you today. Thank you for a really nice review
Comment from Artasylum
Hey Pam... this is such a tragedy... history repeating itself... what is going on... I say so many prayers. Yours, diana
We still reject these refugees;
ignoring all their desp'rate pleas.
And, now the cycle will repeat.
Our inhumanity's complete.
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Hey Pam... this is such a tragedy... history repeating itself... what is going on... I say so many prayers. Yours, diana
We still reject these refugees;
ignoring all their desp'rate pleas.
And, now the cycle will repeat.
Our inhumanity's complete.
Comment Written 05-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Thank you Diana for your wonderful review
Comment from Cindy McIntyre
Stunning! Honest! Raw! May I read this poem in my classroom to teach the students about refugees/prejudice/history? I would give you credit. Each year I look for anyway to open their hearts and minds. I also just read a wonderful book called, Inside Out and Back Again. I bet you would love its message. It's told from the point-of-view of a Vietnamese little girl.
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Stunning! Honest! Raw! May I read this poem in my classroom to teach the students about refugees/prejudice/history? I would give you credit. Each year I look for anyway to open their hearts and minds. I also just read a wonderful book called, Inside Out and Back Again. I bet you would love its message. It's told from the point-of-view of a Vietnamese little girl.
Comment Written 05-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Wow. Thank you Cindy for the extra star. I would be honored if you used my poem for your class. How old are the kids? There are other articles on that ship of Jewish refugees. Someone complained about that particle. There was also another ship turned away from New York.
This article shows that there was perhaps one spy on the ship to New York so hundreds of refugees were turned away. FDR declared the refugees on both ships national security risks. Sound like the Muslim ban? Tricks through the centuries. Thank you for your awesome review
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/us-government-turned-away-thousands-jewish-refugees-fearing-they-were-nazi-spies-180957324/
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Thank you for sharing your websites/references. I teach kids 9-12 grade. Most in American history are 16-17 years old. Still impressionable! Poetry and pictures seem to be eye-opening to that age group. I also teach political science. I love to weave in these types of stories to make them critically think about America and why voting is so important.
Comment from Joan E.
Thank you for your timely poem about how history repeats itself. I admired your rhymed couplets and appeal to our better nature. The tragic subject of the photo reinforces your plea. Sighs- Joan
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Thank you for your timely poem about how history repeats itself. I admired your rhymed couplets and appeal to our better nature. The tragic subject of the photo reinforces your plea. Sighs- Joan
Comment Written 05-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Thank you Joan for your wonderful review. Much appreciated. Nice to see you today
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
This is a sad and heartfelt story Pam and so many refugees lose their life in an attempt to escape certain death in their own countries, so very sad and your poem touches on their desperate plight, love Dolly x
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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This is a sad and heartfelt story Pam and so many refugees lose their life in an attempt to escape certain death in their own countries, so very sad and your poem touches on their desperate plight, love Dolly x
Comment Written 05-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Thank you Dolly for your wonderful review
Comment from Sandra du Plessis
A very well-written poem about refugees that sometimes come with false pretends. In a crowd of hundred strong and healthy men posing as refugees, you only find one child drowned and maybe two woman healthy and strong. It makes me wonder where is the real refugees.
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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A very well-written poem about refugees that sometimes come with false pretends. In a crowd of hundred strong and healthy men posing as refugees, you only find one child drowned and maybe two woman healthy and strong. It makes me wonder where is the real refugees.
Comment Written 05-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Sandra. Thousands have drowned every year. This little boy was just one. Thank you for your review
Comment from Pantygynt
I checked out the link and was not impressed. This news created by robot smacks of fake. while it may refer to a regrettable historical incident the appearance of it as if it were written today by people long dead is designed to mislead. There are those simple enought to believe that the dead actually wrote those posts. To my mind this is misuse of technology.
None of that takes anything from your poem which endeavours to strike an appropriate comparison between now and then. It is the method used -- the robotic element, the fake news if you like, that I object to.
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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I checked out the link and was not impressed. This news created by robot smacks of fake. while it may refer to a regrettable historical incident the appearance of it as if it were written today by people long dead is designed to mislead. There are those simple enought to believe that the dead actually wrote those posts. To my mind this is misuse of technology.
None of that takes anything from your poem which endeavours to strike an appropriate comparison between now and then. It is the method used -- the robotic element, the fake news if you like, that I object to.
Comment Written 05-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Huh? What is fake news? The St. Louis incident was teal. There were hundreds more Jews turned away iNew York. Where is the fake news? Thank you for your thoughtful review
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Dead people can't post
Comment from royowen
Most of our refugees come here by boat, they intern them on pacific islands, I suspect they're not given a really fair go, they have children who are very scared. It's no way to treat humans, these are inhuman activities, I don't think they're much better than the Nazis. Beautifully written, Pam, good onya, great write, blessings, Roy
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Most of our refugees come here by boat, they intern them on pacific islands, I suspect they're not given a really fair go, they have children who are very scared. It's no way to treat humans, these are inhuman activities, I don't think they're much better than the Nazis. Beautifully written, Pam, good onya, great write, blessings, Roy
Comment Written 05-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Thank you Roy for your wonderful and heartfelt review
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Most welcome
Comment from kiwijenny
Six stars for recording the appalling...it is freedom to write like this that turns men's hearts or should.
Thank you dear one for your research too
Have a wonderful Sunday
God bless
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Six stars for recording the appalling...it is freedom to write like this that turns men's hearts or should.
Thank you dear one for your research too
Have a wonderful Sunday
God bless
Comment Written 05-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 05-Aug-2018
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Wow. Thank you so much kiwi for your six star rating. I so appreciate it. Thank you also for your wonderful review