What was Emma interested in as a child?

Emma Lazarus was born in 1849. As a child, she was different from her six sisters and brothers. She was not interested in sports and games. She was serious and weak. More than anything, she wanted to write great poetry. She read the work of famous poets and dreamed that someday her poetry would be like theirs.
     When Emma was older, she went to Ward’s Island. There she worked tirelessly to help the refugees who were streaming into New York City. Many of these people had been tortured in their own countries. Now they came to America seeking freedom. Emma felt sorry for them and started a group to aid them.
     Emma continued to write poetry. She became famous, as more and more people read and loved her work. One day she was asked to help raise money for the base for the Statue of Liberty that was to be placed on Bedloe’s Island in New York Harbor. Famous writers were asked to contribute pieces from their writings to be sold to the public. Emma agreed to help with the project. She decided to write a poem about the statue itself.
     Emma Lazarus’s poem, "The New Colossus", became famous the world over. In 1903, her words were carved on the base of the statue.