Sunday, January 6, 2008

On Endings

We like to think of June as graduation month, but for college students those graduations can also happen in January.

One of my students summed it up this way: "I AM DONE WITH COLLEGE, YAAAY!!

I offered him the following, and I reprint it for those who are indeed graduating this month or who are wishing that they would be.

The author wrote finis at last
Relieved to place all in the past.
Faced forward to the beckoning dawn,
No backward glance, and he was gone.

Yet hearken son, for one time more-
Disparage not what came before.
There'll come a time, as you will see,
You'll yearn for what's now memory
And learn the truth of reality--
That life's a multi-stranded tapestry,
With all threads a necessity
In the weaver's recipe.

So forward go, begin to travel,
But let not older threads unravel.
There's much of value left behind,
Let your thoughts of the past be kind.
Wind those threads throughout your heart,
For of who you are they are a part.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

"I AM DONE WITH COLLEGE, YAAAY!!"

Oy vey. Wait till he starts working and then realizes that he won't be "done" again for something like 40 or 45 years.

Mark [graduated college at 19]

Anonymous said...

I'm still happy to be done with this part and on to the next! YAAY!

Anonymous said...

who wrote that?

ProfK said...

Anonymous,

I wrote the poem. This is where the anonymity of the blog can work against you.

If you are asking because you want to use the poem for some purpose, please send an email to Conversationsinklal@hotmail.com and I'll discuss attribution with you. If not, then credit ProfK at this blog.

Anonymous said...

I'm thrilled to be out of there. Just not sure if my stomach will be able to adjust to eating dinner before 11:00 at night.