Best Valedictorian Poems
Yesterday, I went to an exhibit which showcased the native products of the place where I grew up. It was held at the entire fifth floor of one of the premier malls of the city where I now live. The place hummed with the welcoming sound of the region's familiar lilt, as I edged my way toward the kiosk to meet old friends.
leather and rhinestones
on abaca wallets and bags -
women at their prime
As I recognized each smiling face of former classmates from the all-girls school, the impersonal place turned into a warm, familiar one. Everybody knew everyone, at least in our group of twelve excited, chattering women eager to catch up on each other’s news. A late lunch after the show stretched into an even longer coffee at a nearby restaurant. We laughed as we recounted comedic classroom situations, times of mischief, and romantic trysts with old flames from the all-boys school across the street. The food was not particularly memorable. The moment was.
your face lights up
upon recognizing mine -
friendship survives time
We eventually broke into groups of threes or fours. My group, which included the batch Valedictorian, decided to continue our chat at another coffeeshop along the way. Each one shared personal angst, the latest in her career, and the familiar topic of loved ones. We parted around midnight, promising to keep in touch, a fitting end to a day which I will treasure for a long time. It was one of those breaks in my routine which I did not have to take, but I was happy I did.
in my journey
I saw a sign to stop -
time to smell the flowers
* abaca - hemp, material for bags, shoes, ropes, etc.
05 August 2015
For Scott37's HAIBUN
This haibun is adapted from my journal of a not so recent real event in my life.
The fear of Public Speaking has been with me always
but never like it was on that June evening so many years ago.
I still get gut wrenching panic when I think about that time,
it really seems like only yesterday....
A late bloomer, extremely shy, it was a horror to be
selected as Valedictorian of my high school class. For weeks
I had trouble sleeping and could barely eat. I knew
disaster was close at hand..
.
The day of graduation I prayed for a quick death, thought
seriously of faking a terminal illness, and cried all afternoon.
And you know what? It was just a bad as I thought it
would be.....
My throat closed, I whispered and croaked and didn't say
one coherent thing. Dead silence. Then clapping,
led by my frantic parents. No one ever mentioned the debacle..
but at our ten year reunion I was nominated as the girl
who had changed the most. Oh, that little victory was sweet.
but, dear God, I still remember......
For John Heck's contest..
enjoy the reed
now displayed as a satisfactory deed.
* * * * * *
A Senior Moment - written months ago commemorating
the graduation from a vaunted charter school
in Bend, Oregon of thy lovely youngest,
this papa could not attend -
geographical distance constituting the primary determinant.
* * * * * *
Valedictorian treads across makeshift platform
i.e. most likely auditorium stage marked
by hushed audience inhaling, notating,
and regaling gleeful lightness of buoyant feat
(but me Yeats heavy of heart) feted for 2017 Redmond
Enrichment Academy graduates, who attained,
a milestone vis a vis earning their
high school diploma, and ready to launch
bountiful daunting challenges, yet sure
footed each young gal and/or guy
will exude joy and sorrow upon grasping their
high school diploma aware a sound education
sent each on their own future path
while pomp and circumstances issues forth
by adroit musically talented underclass
* * * * * *
man, which emotional celebrated achievement
evoked by keynote student speaker,
but also underscored via that well worn mortar
board, linkedin, kickstarter, Joyus
tune (composed by Sir Edward Elgar –
subtitled March Number 1) acknowledging
cheers, eliciting grownups immense Kleenex
moistening overpowering quintessentially
simmering ululating wrenching yowling
as tassels flipped (maybe in conjunction with
a non twittering uber bird) to the left side
of the caparisoned newly anointed future
Dharma Bums, professionals and/or trades
persons momentarily stung with sadness
to depart favorite classmates and teachers
who voluntarily cosseted, ferried, and
* * * * * *
capitalone did flickr imperceptibly, kneaded
and leavened LivingSocial, and massaged MineCraft
outlook plenti full confidence, faith, and inherent
lettered oblations serve as snap chatting,
Her calender was packed
She had so much to do
Had been valedictorian
Damn proud of it, too.
The world was her oyster
Grabbed the bull by the horns
Her drive and her intellect
Brought her accolades galore.
I met her post haste
She was school principal then
My son was a student
In her office...once again!
She told me her schedule
How she ran marathons
Her lists to achieve
Were impressive and long.
I met her one day
Said, "Come sit for awhile."
But she just couldn't stop
Had to run, in denial.
Today I sat down
To read yesterday's news
Saw she died on a treadmill
She was just 42.
2015
Copyright 2014 A.D., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
By Thomas Lam Hsi Andress (TLH ANDRESS)
THE 'AUDACITY' OF DISCLOSURE!!!
Thomas Hsi
1 second ago
This VERY SONG is the VERY REASON that I KEEP HOPING that LOVE WILL ONE DAY...'MAYBE'...FIND ME...as 'SHE'...finds...ME! After I was 'DELIVERED' by 'URSULA'...on APRIL 23, 1959 A.D., as a 'LILY-WHITE' MALE CHILD, but raised as an 'ASIATIC,' though I would go on to BECOME A MENTAL AND PHYSICAL 'SUPER-MAN' in that I would accomplish so many 'AMAZING' things in my 55 year-lifetime ( 70 mph 'ACCELERATED-RUN,' 378 lbs. 'ONE-ARM' DUMBELL CURL, 878 lbs. 'ONE-HAND' DEADLIFT, over 300 'ORIGINAL or IMPROVED GOURMET-QUALITY' FOOD RECIPES, 'WORLD'S FINEST POET, POETIC LYRICIST, ATTORNEY (AVVO-DISTINGUISHED, 14 OF MY 26 MEMOS WOULD GO BEFORE THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, WITH THE 'SUPER-MAJORITY' OF THE CASES BEING DECIDED ALONG THE LINES IN WHICH I HAD CONCLUDED), VALEDICTORIAN AT EVERY MAJOR UNIVERSITY AROUND THE WORLD (based on 'Test Scores' at the University of Southern California and the University of Hawaii), the 'WORLD'S HIGHEST LSAT-TEST SCORE,' the 'WORLD-VALEDICTORIAN' LAW-GRADUATE (as McGEORGE SCHOOL OF LAW was the 'MOST DIFFICULT CLASS EVER FOR THAT PARTICULAR YEAR,' 'ORIGINATOR' OF THE PUBLIC ADDRESS, PORTABLE, RADIO-DEVICE WHICH WOULD LEAD JAPAN TO DEVELOP THE MODERN KARAOKE-MACHINE, and lead SOUTH KOREA TO DEVELOP THE HIGH-DEFINITION TELEVISION, 'MELON-STYLE' DRINKS, the 'SOLELY-RESEARCHED, WRITTEN, EDITIED, COPIED, AND DISTRIBUTED' 5 and 1/2 PAGE COMPRESSED OUTLINE FOR DETERMINING WHAT A CONFORMING AND NON-CONFORMING RESALEABLE LOAN IS, along with a PROPOSAL FOR DAWN FINANCIAL, where the 'EQUITY-VALUE' OF AN OLDER-HAWAIIAN REAL PROPERTY INTEREST, could be REALIZED UPON BY RELEASING THE BUILT-UP 'EQUITY,' the development of a 'PROGRESSIVE-STYLE' BETTING SYSTEM at the WHEEL OF FORTUNE and ROULETTE TABLE (first used by Me at the MGM GRAND HOTEL & CASINO in RENO, NEVADA), 'DEVELOPER' OF THE 'FAST-OUTBOARD-MOTORBOAT,' with a 'SCOOP-VECTOR,' the 'MULTI-DIRECTIONAL SCOOP-VECTORING-SYSTEM,' the 'SWIVEL-WIND-FAN-SYSTEM' (with various 'FAN DESIGNS,' including the 'MULTI-DIRECTIONAL-OBLIQUEST-DESIGN,' a 'PROPOSED-DESIGN' for a SPACE-SHUTTLE which solves the 'O-RING' PROBLEM.
We've all arrived at the point of our
homecoming and have come to realize
That life can be a stumbling block or
a stepping stone towards the heavenly prize
And our departure our homegoing
will surely come one day
Just make sure you fought the good fight
as you journeyed on your way
Yes life is a struggle, a tug of war
a push and a pull
But never forget to move forward
to progress like a tenacious bull
For power concedes nothing
we must fight for everything
There will be tears, there may be fears
Just don't stop til the final bell rings
My 1st Lady Dr. Angela Farr- Griffin
was a fighter most supreme
A progressive praying warrior
who lived out her dream
A valedictorian in high school
who earned her Masters and Ph.d
A promoter of health and wellness
a Doctor of Physical Therapy
A mother of 2, a grandmother to 2
and wedded for 40 years
She fought cancer to the bitter end
and never showed any fear
A life worth fighting for
that's how we all should live
To put on the full armor of God
and the Holy Spirit to us He did give
A soldier in the army of the Lord
she battled and fought every day
Her homegoing has come to pass
and towards Heaven she's made her way
She witnessed, worked and worshiped
to increase the kingdom of God
She always put her faith first
and from Him she would never depart
Passionate about many causes
Which led her to start many ministries
She believed if you stayed idle
you can't claim the victory
But most of all she was a worshipper
she continuously praised the Lord Christ
She danced, she sang she exalted Jesus
everyday of her life
But the devil is a liar
who only wants to destroy
But Angela was a jubilant warrior
consistently filled with joy
She fought the good fight
she had a life worth fighting for
And now she with her Savior
Our Lord Christ forevermore
May all our dreams forever stay
Sparkling in our minds
We won’t lose sight of what we want today
Our school work is finished, we’ve written our last essay
Perfected, is how we are defined
May all our dreams forever stay
Today, we stand as one, beating all cliché
A clique like us, impossible to confine
We won’t lose sight of what we want today
When bewildered, we are not, afraid to kneel and pray
Even in our youth, sometimes we must unwind
May all our dreams forever stay
Although we know not, what awaits us at bay
Keep parading forward, ‘cause now there’s no rewind
We won’t lose sight of what we want today
We did it guys! Look at us in our array
Success ahead and behind
All our dreams will forever stay,
We won’t lose sight of what we want today!
For: Catie Lindsey-Villanelle Me contest
© all rights reserved
Written: 5/24/11
Their baby girl turned out exceptional
Their baby girl is very exceptional
Her script perfect
She always had a book in her hand
Reading every spare minute
With a sponge like focus
At craft fairs, for example
She would hide under the table and read
At funeral services and church
She always brought a book
She would always read, read
For her birthday she wanted every episode
Of Criminal Minds, she never wanted toys
A book, or something stimulating her mind
To her was gold
She would also multitask her art
Oils and knitting, all self taught and really good
With her schoolwork
And sports
Swimming, karate and water polo
She was the very best at what she did
All through her schooling
Every single day
Every single day
She never received a grade less than an A
She was class valedictorian
She was phenomenal,
A swan that was always a swan
And recently she completed her first semester
At nursing school with a continued perfect record
Of all A's, all advanced courses
To me this is amazing
If I'm beaming the answer is yes
I spoke with, or should I say joked with the ex
Whose genes did she inherent? Whose?
Because It's neither of us
We laughed, one of the few times we did
I once wrote to my baby girl
Nineteen now, yet she's still my baby
I wrote to her a beautiful poem
About a blossoming rose
Growing to new heights, so elegant and beautiful
Nurtured, loved and cultivated
And she wrote back ... wherever they put me
In life, emphasizing they, I'll blossom that's my promise
I read her response over and over
In my mind, shedding tears
At her conviction, strong
I got to thinking ...
Her being uprooted earlier on in life
Watching her parents divorce, being hurt as a child
Having fears
Spurted her growth, ambition and drive
In my eyes it did
Affecting her in a way that she carried
A chip on her shoulder wanting to be the best
Proving her parents made a mistake in abandoning her
Just this past holidays, I can see a huge transformation in her
It's really noticeable, unrecognizable
She's matured faster than I wanted
Maybe she's dating, dipping her wet feet
But I see something different
I don't know what it is
She's not my baby anymore
connie pachecho
1/10/17
Value
All
Learning
Education
Denies
Ignorance
Construct
Theories
Organize
Read
Insist
Appreciate
Notice
She is a brown eyed girl with soft brown hair
The gown covers her pregnant belly
The tasseled cap is her crown
Nothing can down her determination
Motivation comes from nightmares
Motivation comes from dreams
As she speaks, tears stream
She recalls her defiance, disobedience, deadly deeds
She is overdue but happy to be on that stage
Her rage is different now
He doesn't acknowledge their coming baby
or his fatherhood
He called her nasty names in the neighborhood
Members of his gang brought her pictures of him
at the park with his hands all over another
She was struggling to become a mother
Later the law would send him to jail
for statutory rape of his little sister's friend
The offenses mounted and she
kept going to the Word
On her knees she pleaded
The situation was insane
How would she maintain?
She studied in the bathroom, on breaks
at work, on the bus, late at night, early morn
What could she accomplish? She had to mourn
the death of that other life
and be baptized into the new
Now she knew what to do
On her knees she pleaded
for a place for her and the
baby to stay
A home for unwed girls made
a way
She read, wrote, calculated, devised
Her books became worn as did her eyes
"God help me not to despise"
"Make the bitter better"
She sang verb conjugations
As she washed dishes
Her feet hurt and her back cried
If she failed it would not be
because she had not tried
When she was in the streets
She had partied hard
Now to pass this test
She would do her best
?Y porque no?
Her belly was so big
She sat sideways at the desk
There was a time when she
drank, doped and was rude
Now she was humble, determined
And the reward was now
Wow as they cheered her speech
"It all begins with me
First I must see
I tell you change and successes are
Always in your reach”
Value
All
Learning
Education
Denies
Ignorance
Construct
Theories
Organize
Read
Insist
Appreciate
Notice
She’ll always be our family’s valedictorian of sight…
For
She was the no nonsense type of woman who gave all of her love and insight to the world…
That was her gift, her sight and God’s sun that shinned through her… known as the light.
Hattie is our family’s pillar of strength;
Our educator of many lessons learned…
The type…
Who’d go the extra mile, the width, the distance and length; in insuring our family’s security, history, legacy; as well as other lesson’s passed down through the years …and now she leaves us with a scale from one… right down to her last lesson of the tenth.
And As
We come together as a family in the memories of Hattie…
We’ve all come to the conclusions of being blessed in having our own personal relationships with her that was meant to be; and with that in mind…
Her eyes of beauty will always shine through and within us; for all to remember and see.
And now that
She’s looking down upon us proudly… she’s happy to have engraved her individual and personal memories down within your hearts, minds and souls.
For
This is the biggest lesson that she leaves behind; her own personal legacies of personal stories with you to cherish; her own personal touch for which she alone and personally chose.
And now,
The heavens have opened up for Hattie and now she’s received her wings; with the angels rejoicing and singing.
Can’t you all see?
For this is what she envisioned her legacy, vision and happiness of memories with you to be;
A wonderful spirit of the wise
With the glimpse of looking through her eyes, so you can see
Her touch of class that will never die…
And lastly, “THE BEAUTIFUL EYES OF HATTIE”.
When the frustrated socialist sees that health care isn't free
He turns into a killer, claims he's saving you and me
He murders a CEO, to make a point, because he could
For the goal of perfection is the enemy of the good
He gets adulation from those who think healthcare is a right
They think profit is the devil, and he was fighting the good fight
But doctors must be paid, and nurses, drug makers too
When the government runs it all, will you kill when you can't sue?
Britain has national care, there the docs are underpaid
Patients don't get seen on time, whistleblowers are afraid
50 thousand wrong deaths each year, at least death is free
Anyone can murder, but that way lies anarchy.
Brian was a farm boy, then Valedictorian, then a CPA
Became an overpaid CEO, but isn't rising the American way?
He helped disabled kids compete, stayed a regular guy
But a rich Ivy League kid decided he must die.
When Covid came, Brian offered to distribute funds for free
Some see profit over people but doesn't seem that way to me.
It may be rad and cool to cheer, maybe they feel authentic and real
But some of us just see murder, and a wound that will fester, never heal.
There are problems with our health care, most of us agree
But if you think it's expensive now, just wait until its free
Systems that tried to replace profit, slaughtered millions, quite bizarre
I never understood how hypocritical radical leftists are.
If you come across the border, you get free care in the E.R.
Our hospitals go broke, because idealists went too far
Medicaid won't pay full costs, that causes bankruptcy too
And yes, our insurance system makes no sense, it needs a big redo.
No doctor can cure this revealed sickness in the air
Only 33 percent of youth say the killing was unfair
If you live by abstractions, you won't see wrong from right
A world that cheers on murder cannot claim the moral height.
Damnation and Sin Horn Haiku
Early one morning
Was Valedictorian
Damnation and sin.
Jim Horn
We are all PRONE to this or that.
See now how I am prone to ROSE POEMS.
Some folks in LIFE are prone to the
AUDACIOUS mannerisms, without
Regard. Stilling themselves at the heart
Of friction. Witrhin the cogs of TIMES
Through out life.
Seasonal spittle of rain upon a fig tree
In this seasonal cold STORMY BLACK
OF NIGHT. One season then another
Gradually dragging LISTLESSLY.
UNbelievable you forced me to face the truth.
We both knew it was no use.
You STRUCK my heart and.....
It's been YEARS
I'VE BEEN HERE
You've been there and.....
I was to tired to read the
Writing on the wall.
Across the board, be VALIANT
It's Your chore.
Valedictorian of the WORLD.
Speed the course.
Gain the PEARL.
Do not GALLIVANT HAPHAZARDLY.
FEEL and keep your DESTINY
WITHIN sight.
Arnie's been on my mind all week
Our class valedictorian
His cancer discovered too late
Little time now lays before him
He asked to see friends one more time
This meek request heard nationwide
From North, South and West all will fly
So many flocking to his side
Treating us all as his equals
A genius graced our high school halls
And when a tutor was needed
Arnie always answered the calls
His intellect was much admired
But it was his humility
Added to his warm, welcome smile
That gave him popularity
And as we gather together
From lives that have drawn us apart
We thank the Lord for knowing him
He is our high school's King of Hearts
Friends, I am flying to NJ this week to join at least 30 other classmates who can't wait to see
our dear valedictorian again. He is a loving husband and father and I hope you will say
prayers for him and his family.
That dormant feeling of insecurity arose,
when travel journal got thrust adjacent
to my tattered (holey tattooed) clothes
while I knew with crossed eyes
aroused anger from peaceful doze
my younger sister felt about her
globe trotting exploits, an over expose
jour ever since voyaging out on her own
after graduating top of her class
where mine hatred glows
indirectly snidely sneering
at ma dough less brother hoboes
(a 1979 Methacton High School alumni),
unanimously chosen valedictorian
dressed in Calvin Klein
Harris tweed, couture
and silk panty hose
like me prolonging, promoting
on par with quasi staff sergeant, who knows
artful disciplinarian gingerly launching rules,
asper formerly commanding G.I. Joes
and pronouncing, predilection
exhaling natural highs no lows
traveling solo, with surviving Wilburys,
or just mows
zing nonchalantly
(though a foreigner) with swarthy skin color
easily camouflaging as civilian
all points on the compass,
where minute needle doth nose
upon returning home (being honorably feted
at once glorious estate of Glen Elm,
where she did propose
to the Lord Taylor (swiftly), which location
situated at 324 Level Road, Collegeville,
Pennsylvania 19426),
thence a great huzzah a rose
an immediate nauseousness welled
within from me head tummy smelly toes
I did not want to here, or see any details,
which would accentuate personal woes
popping, snapping, and smarting,
and slapping skin raw tib bits,
ache'n to yanked strings
of mama's heirloom yo-yos!
Poet Script:
trials and tribulations,
visited upon head of young
concocted ("FAKE") gusty and gutsy
kid sister enterprising ingenue,
christened easy on the tongue
Sharodd (not her real name),
to top off talents sung
like a professional opera singer, which rung
a shiver along small hairs of spine did tingle
heard all the way to Lake Woebegone
where bachelor farmers did mingle
every Christmas, a decreasing
number donned Kris Kringle
hit with blitzkrieg of yawping brats
hoof pranced to bell weather jingle!