---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Curtis, T. E.
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 10
number: 2
published: 1906-12
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'T. E. Curtis, "The Statues: A Poem," *Improvement Era* 10, no. 2 (December 1906): 144.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1002unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera1002unse
start_page: 144
end_page: 144
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1906-12)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1002unse
  publication_year: 1906
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1906, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# The Statues: A Poem

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—

 THE STATUES. {For the Improvement Era.)

 Toward the sunset, by the inland sea, Girdled by mountain, meadow, lake and lea, Two mighty structures stand, aloft, sublime, And rooted like the hills to rival time. At either crest, and drawing up men's eyes. An angel stood uplifted to the skies, And as it stood with emblem waving free, Fronting the world, and fronting sky and sea, A storm, but for the hills a hurricane, Swept in with mighty ruin from the plain. And lo! the citadel's exalted crown The Goddess Justice, ruining went down.

 Unmoved by tempest and the rod of time. Calling to every creed, and land and clime. The other angel kept its lofty stand, Warning the nations of the stern, red hand Of death and ruin sweeping through the land. Truth's heralder! above the multitude, Upon the temple's pinnacle he stood, Pointing a refuge in the ample arm Of mountain bulwark, from the wreck and storm. So, beat upon by sword and tempest hurled Among the nations and to all +he world. Though towering justice (wavering now she stands) Falls like "a ruin from men's feeble hands, x And in the grip of anarchy the base Of earth is hurried tumultuous from its place; Though storm, and death, and ruin sweep the land, The cause and heralders of truth shall stand. T. E. Curtis Salt Lake City, Utah.