Prospective Immigrants Please Take Note by Adrienne Rich
I do love Adrienne Rich’s poetry… My grandfather came to the U.S. from Greece (to attend Princeton) in 1924 and went through Ellis Island. He wrote letters to his teachers/benefactors in Greece and said he had a pleasant experience. I wrote a paper my freshman year in high school on misconceptions about Ellis Island. I imagine if I repeated the endeavor I’d be more thorough. (ha ha ha)
Prospective Immigrants Please Note
By Adrienne Rich
Either you will
go through this door
or you will not go through.
If you go through
there is always the risk
of remembering your name.
Things look at you doubly
and you must look back
and let them happen.
If you do not go through
it is possible
to live worthily
to maintain your attitudes
to hold your position
to die bravely
but much will blind you,
much will evade you,
at what cost who knows?
The door itself
makes no promises.
It is only a door.
Current Tea: captivating caramel (black tea with caramel flavoring)
