Author's Note: I was one of four finalists to give the Student Commencement Address for my graduating class at UC Davis. With a time limit of 2 minutes, I decided to gamble and write the speech as a poem. I lost out to a guy that equated college to a buffet. I still think my poem was way better than his overused cliche - he's probably a motivational speaker now. :-)
I am brought here to you today
to talk to you, in my own way.
With, as you can hear, in meter and verse,
so sit back and enjoy, it could be much worse.
You my fellow graduates, are here to celebrate,
and then probably go home and party late.
But its not of now I wish to speak,
but of four years hence that I seek.
I came to Davis, wet behind the ear,
expecting glory, yet finding fear.
How to use a system I did not understand?
Which did not give me any one demand.
Do you remember those endless lines to fill,
that empty schedule and to pay your bill?
And your night on campus to beat the masses,
you end up squinting because you forgot your glasses
Maybe for you it wasn't that bad,
and you were too busy to be sad.
But there was a lot of growing that first year,
and that doesn't include drinking your first beer.
Maturity that grew along with your age,
the hours that flew pouring over a page.
Studying, what a strange beast.
I never did in high school, not in the least.
But we're here today, and you've survived,
and your morals you have not contrived.
By speaking out you have been heard,
you've changed a policy and saved a bird.
This campus here encourages free thought,
an experience, you know, that can not be bought.
And with this learning you grew to discover yourself
something to use as your skins collect dust on a shelf
for what can be more important than discovery?
It is certainly not just any reverie.
In between classes and work you did find,
time to develop other pursuits in kind.
The ones that showed you were not pigeonholed,
in a major that seemed tight, dark and cold.
I for one, expanded into drama.
Learned how to act and move like a llama.
You may have taken a different track,
and together we found there's no turning back,
on the ideas that live outside of science,
or the team work of a friendly alliance.
Do you not remember a least one playful hour,
that broke the boredom and sweetened the sour?
Yes school and study are important here,
but its this outside growth that is so dear.
Rounding out the corners, they say,
is the best way to lighten the day.
And so you joined a club or a frat,
went for IM's with your glove and bat.
Maybe you even went so far a I,
to recite Shakespeare up on high.
With these pursuits I discovered new sides,
that are kept locked up when academia rides.
And I say with conviction up most,
that I am better for it, and offer this toast:
To you, who discovered themselves here at school,
To those who found that they could change a rule,
To us as we now move quietly along,
Self satisfied and a heart full of song.
