Ellis Island Gratitude
Ellis Island Gratitude
acrostic poem for the Fourth of July, by Alice Jane-Marie Massa
Elizabeth—“Liza, in Italian—danced aboard the ship
La Lorraine that brought her and so many others to a new country.
Leaving all that was known to her behind,
Italy’s daughter came through Ellis Island;
Statue of Liberty must have winked at my grandmother as she passed by.
Indiana was her destination.
Soon she married James, settled in a small rural Hoosier community.
Like my paternal grandparents, my maternal grandparents
Answered the call to a new land to establish hope and a new home.
Never can I fully appreciate their braveness,
Determination to embrace a new nation—the USA.
Gratitude to Ellis Island that allowed these four to
Realize a dream and a journey—Domenica and Martino, Liza and James.
All four experienced hardships, but were abundantly blessed.
Take a chance? Did they take an enormous chance?
Indiana was where they planted and grew their dreams.
Two sons and one daughter were lost, but five sons and four daughters survived and flourished.
Under those Hoosier skies and wise eyes,
Destiny of two families from the Levone Valley of Northern Italy
Eternally give gratitude to this grand land that our grandparents adopted.
Happy Fourth of July! Happy Independence Day!
Alice and Leader Dog Willow—my Independence Dog
July 4, 2022, Monday
alice13wordwalk 
Wonderful poem, Alice—a loving tribute to our grandparents! Mary Sent from my iPad
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Thanks for reading and commenting on this post on the Fourth of July!
Enjoy July!
Alice and Willow
This is another example of demonstrating a writing technique while paying homage to your immigrant relatives which I always enjoy reading about.
Hi, Sue–Always so good to hear from you! Thanks for your comment!
What a cloudburst here tonight! I hope your garden is enjoying all
the rain of last night and tonight.
Enjoy July!
Alice and Willow
Hi Alice, I enjoyed your beautiful poem about your grandparents and my parents. Their bravery and struggles are beyond my imagination. My mother’s stories of her life both in Italy and Indiana were always fascinating to me when young and in my adult years. She was an amazing woman.
Love Aunt Kathy
Good afternoon, Aunt Kathy–Thank you for reading and commenting on this
blog. Yes, I do think Grandma “Farm” could have written a very
interesting book filled with her stories from both “the old country” and
the new.
Best wishes for more rain and a good weekend!
Love, Alice and Willow