Nothing Human Can Be Alien To Me Poem by Nika McGuin

In Terence's play that sentence is just tossed out, there is almost no resonance. It took Maya Angelou's sensitivity, not to say genius to realize it could serve as a centerpiece concept. Now you too draw from it moral lessons that are resonating beyond your poem in society at large. In our social order gobbled together by politics, TV and employment, you found in the quotation a moral center for us all to use for our bearings.

While I was searching for one of your recent poems on Maya Angelou's impact on your life I came across this one which certainly expresses that impact vividly. What a great list of human beings in all their variety opens the poem! always surprised that this ancient Roman poet expressed so perfectly one of the core values of our society, but it took Maya Angelou's insight into its relevance to bring those wise words into our contemporary awareness. The quotation certainly released a passionate poem from your heart. It makes me both humble and proud to be a human being, since it embraces both the good and the evil we are capable of.

This is another NECESSARY POEM. I too am impressed by the ancient Roman's statement, but you know in the play not much comes of it. Maya Angelou herself has done much more with the moral implications than Terence. And you have also in your poem by showing how it immediately affects your attitude and behavior. I like your long skinny list of various people who delude themselves but you don't judge them, just hold up a mirror so they can see for themselves where they fall short of their true humanity. And that's enough! They can save themselves when they are ready. BTW quoting Terence's line in the original Latin was an inspired idea: it vividly shows the antiquity of that sentiment which we still respond to centuries, and as I said above you draw much more meaning from it than Terence did.