Unpainted Door by Louise Gluck

Blog archive

Haikus
08/13/2024

One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
08/13/2024

Poem 20 by Pablo Neruda
08/13/2024

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
08/13/2024

Trees by Joyce Kilmer
08/13/2024

July 2024

Alma Stokes, The Struggle in Pasadena
07/25/2024

A Poetry Gathering: Liberating Experiences Available
07/19/2024

Civil Rights Movement Series
07/19/2024

Happy Hours in Pasadena: A Villager’s Perspective
07/19/2024

Pasadena Village and the National Dialogue on Villages and Healthy Aging Research
07/19/2024

President's Message
07/19/2024

The Kern River Rafting Caper
07/19/2024

The Village Artists Group creates creative camaraderie
07/19/2024

An Example of Inherent Racism
07/14/2024

Current, Upcoming Events
07/04/2024

June 2024

No Real Recourse For Discrimination
06/30/2024

A Personal Statement of Strength and Well-Being
06/25/2024

Juneteenth Reflections
06/24/2024

Reflections on 2023-2025
06/21/2024

Reactions and Reflections Re: Juneteenth
06/19/2024

As Our Organization Grows, Villagers Recall Personal Highlights
06/17/2024

From the Outgoing President
06/17/2024

Letter from the Incoming President: Beginning Our ‘Lagniappe’ Year
06/17/2024

The Editorial Team Looks Back: Creating the Voice of the Village
06/17/2024

This Year's Resource Fair was the Most Successful Ever
06/17/2024

Telling the Whole Story
06/12/2024

Nashville
06/10/2024

May 2024

Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
05/28/2024

Farewell from the 2023/24 Social Work Interns
05/28/2024

Gina on the Horizon
05/28/2024

Mark Your Calendars for the Healthy Aging Research California Virtual Summit
05/28/2024

Meet Our New Development Associate
05/28/2024

Putting the Strategic Plan into Practice
05/28/2024

Washington Park: Pasadena’s Rediscovered Gem
05/28/2024

Introducing Civil Rights Discussions
05/22/2024

Rumor of Humor #2416
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2418
05/14/2024

Springtime Visitors
05/07/2024

Freezing for a Good Cause – Credit, That Is
05/02/2024

No Discussion Meeting on May 3rd
05/02/2024

An Apparently Normal Person Author Presentation and Book-signing
05/01/2024

Flintridge Center: Pasadena Village’s Neighbor That Changes Lives
05/01/2024

Pasadena Celebrates Older Americans Month 2024
05/01/2024

The 2024 Pasadena Village Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
05/01/2024

Woman of the Year: Katy Townsend
05/01/2024

April 2024

Rumor of Humor #2410
04/28/2024

Rumor of Humor #2411
04/28/2024

Rumor of Humor #2412
04/28/2024

Rumor of Humor #2413
04/28/2024

Rumor of Humor #2414
04/28/2024

Rumor of Humor #2415
04/28/2024

Rumor of Humor #2416
04/28/2024

Stimulated by "Caste"
04/22/2024

Tulsa reparations, Religion and Politics
04/09/2024

March 2024

Trumps War with Black Women
03/31/2024

Addressing The Needs of Older Adults Through Pasadena Village
03/25/2024

Coming Soon: More Resources for Older Americans, Online and in Person
03/25/2024

Community Building Locally and Nationally
03/25/2024

Preparing for the Future with Ready or Not
03/25/2024

Volunteering is at The Heart of the Village
03/25/2024

Women's Liberation: Then and Now
03/25/2024

Writing Memoirs Together
03/25/2024

Current Views on Current Events
03/20/2024

Unchained
03/18/2024

Rumr of Humor issue # 2409
03/10/2024

Blacks Portrayed by European Artists
03/03/2024

Rumor of Humor #2408
03/03/2024

February 2024

Caring for Ourselves and Each Other
02/27/2024

Doug Colliflower Honored
02/27/2024

Great Decisions Connects Us to the Worldwide Community
02/27/2024

Letter from the President
02/27/2024

Pasadena Village's Impact
02/27/2024

The Power of Touch
02/27/2024

Villages as a New Approach to Aging
02/27/2024

Addressing Gang Violence in Pasadena-Altadena
02/21/2024

Rumor of Humor Issue 2407
02/19/2024

Thank You For Caring.
02/12/2024

Rumor of Humor 2405
02/11/2024

Curve Balls
02/10/2024

Sylvan Lane
02/10/2024

Rumor of Humor 2404
02/09/2024

Larry Duplechan, Blacks in Film
02/03/2024

January 2024

Pasadena Village Joins Community Partners in Vaccination Campaign
01/29/2024

Rumor of Humor #2403
01/28/2024

Pasadena Village Joins Two Healthy Aging Resource Projects
01/25/2024

Decluttering: Do It Now
01/24/2024

Village Volunteers Contribute to the Huntington Magic
01/24/2024

Villagers Creating Community
01/24/2024

Villagers Reflect on Black History Month
01/24/2024

Walk With Ease, 2024
01/24/2024

Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024

Rumor of Humor # 2402
01/21/2024

Rumor of Humor # 2401
01/15/2024

Re- Entry Programs, a Personal Experience
01/08/2024

By Jim Hendrick
Posted: 10/11/2024

Tags: nobel and pulitzer

Unpainted Door by Louise Gluck

Finally, in middle age,

I was tempted to return to childhood. The house was the same,

but the door was different.

Not red anymore

unpainted wood.

The trees were the same: the oak, the copper beech. But the people all the inhabitants of the past— were gone: lost, dead, moved away.

The children from across the street

old men and women.

The sun was the same,

the lawns parched brown in summer.

But the present was full of strangers.

And in some way it was exactly right,

exactly as I remembered: the house, the street,

the prosperous village—

Not to be reclaimed or re-entered

but to legitimize

silence and distance,

distance of place, of time,

bewildering accuracy of imagination and dream—

I remember my childhood as a long wish to be elsewhere.

This is the house; this must be

the childhood I had in mind.

🤪 This poem was read by Jim Hendrick at A Poetry Gathering in Washington Park.

Blogs Topics Posts about this Topic

Blog archive

December 2024

November 2024

October 2024

September 2024

August 2024

July 2024

June 2024

May 2024

April 2024

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

Unpainted Door by Louise Gluck