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Adrienne Rich: “Prospective Immigrants Please Note”

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.

— Adrienne Rich

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  1. Just found your site while searching Adrienne Rich, and this particular poem.  Synchronous. Mission Flats is an upcoming selection in one of my book clubs and I couldn’t remember the author’s name. Reading mysteries. Last month, The Skull Mantra. Look forward to reading you.  Isn’t it funny that one of the first things we found out about Romney’s VP pick, Paul Ryan, is that he was prom king?Back to Adrienne and my hidden life.