On Society

Lady Liberty

Arm held high
for so long
welcoming the tired
the huddled masses
the yearning throng
with flame of liberation
inspiring hope
kindling ambition
symbol of the inner light
the vision waiting to be born
the individuality
standing vigilant
upon the freedom shore.

Her arm
tired now
held high for so long.
Her face
stoic, determined
remaining solemn
though few make the passage
in slow, plodding boats
crossing vast oceans
of time and culture.
Freedom no longer
a far-off kingdom
surrounded by moats
and thick walls
to be taken by force.
New waves of seekers
to freedom's shore
fly in jet planes
or breach other borders
not seeing her welcoming eyes
nor freedom's flame
lifted to the sky.

Her arm aloft
with guiding torch
was once a beckoning
and defiant stance
adopted by freedom fighters
the "V" of victory flashing
or the raised fist
of power,
sought,
burning,
like her flame.
The closed fist
taking and holding
not letting go
of what rightfully
is human destiny.
Liberty never tiring
can now relax her arm
for freedom fighters
no longer hold aloft their fists
nor give the sign of "V."

Lady Liberty last was noticed
holding high her arm
with freedom's symbol
in the Bejin square
called Tienamin
1989 was the year
but that
was the old millennium
and she was already
becoming irrelevant
against corporate dictators
and regimes propped up by force
or by money spent.
The new lady liberty
was being born
that year
with bandana
wrapped around her head
and cell phone
held to her ear.
As a symbol to the world
it was Liberty's
last campaign
for fax machine
e-mail
and the internet
were the new sparks
of freedom's flame
for the future seekers
of justice
in Liberty's hallowed name.

Liberty's arm is bent now
with cell phone
in her hand,
she walks and talks
in every street
in every city
in every land
speaking in every tongue.
She seeks democracy
and rights for everyone
organizing peoples' rallys
from the Phillipines
to Washington.

Liberty no longer stands alone
in the harbor of New York,
she is omnipresent
with arm bent
talking on her phone.
Mobil, instant, connected,
are freedom's new refrain,
everyone now has a friend
to ease the lonely pain.
The prison of isolation
will soon exist no more
for the cell phone revolution
will spread
to every race
to every culture
to every shore
the symbol of liberty
stands on the corner
in lands far and near
arm bent,
talking,
cell phone to her ear.

© 2001 Richard Sidy