Dear Editor:

Some Afghan evacuees will come to the United States. Some already have. And some people are not happy about that. One might find relevant commentary in the New Testament. But I happen to be reading classic American poet Emily Dickinson: “These Strangers in a foreign World, / Protection asked of me -- / Befriend them, lest Yourself in Heaven, / Be found a Refugee --”

(The eccentric capitalization and punctuation is Dickinson’s.)

Edward J. Gallagher

Professor of English, Emeritus

Lehigh University