Ilene Bauer Poet Rhyme

Commencement Speaker

At my college graduation
There most likely was a speech,
But my memory of whose it was
Is simply out of reach.

Yet today celebrities can claim
Commencement’s greatest prize – 
All those celebrating graduates
To bolster and advise.

Surely Conan, Oprah, Ellen
Would a nifty speech produce
But I envy those who listened
To a talk by Dr. Seuss.

It was many years ago, it’s true
And I just read a part of it
But just as you’d expect,
Some perfect rhyme was at the heart of it.

Had I been there, I can guarantee
That I would recollect
Both the message and his manner
And more words than you’d expect.

But instead, my graduation day
Has faded from my mind,
Though I’ll bet there was some wisdom
That the speaker hoped we’d find.

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Robert Johnson May 7, 2014 at 8:20 PM I think that inspiration is lost on graduation. Most students are done learning for what you hope they're yearning. But maybe that's just my conception of what I've learned in lifes deception. When wisdom's wasted on the young. It just makes sense that when your older that's when you hear the words that were sung.

Robert Pettit May 7, 2014 at 4:26 AM I remember the speaker at my commencement was the former US senator from New Jersey and former New York Knicks forward Bill Bradley. I was fortunate enough to shake hands with him while he was running for his first senate term. Good write, Ilene.

Connie Marcum Wong May 7, 2014 at 4:05 AM I think this poem reaches into the heart of poets and it is true, when poetry is spoken it is listened to with admiration and remembered.