The Bartholdi Statue
by
1886
The land, that, from the rule of kings,
In freeing us, itself made free,
Our Old World Sister, to us brings
Her sculptured Dream of Liberty,
Unlike the shapes on Egypt’s sands
Uplifted by the toil-worn slave,
On Freedom’s soil with freemen’s hands
We rear the symbol free hands gave.
O France, the beautiful! to thee
Once more a debt of love we owe
In peace beneath thy Colors Three,
We hail a later Rochambeau!
Rise, stately Symbol! holding forth
Thy light and hope to all who sit
In chains and darkness! Belt the earth
With watch-fires from thy torch uplit!
Reveal the primal mandate still
Which Chaos heard and ceased to be,
Trace on mid-air th’ Eternal Will
In signs of fire: “Let man be free!”
Shine far, shine free, a guiding light
To Reason’s ways and Virtue’s aim,
A lightning-flash the wretch to smite
Who shields his license with thy name!