A Poem for a girl

Last week we went to our granddaughter’s Graduation. Actually, it wasn’t really a graduation, more a celebration of the end of Grade 5. The school she went to went through some changes. From now on it will only have students from Kindergarten to

Grade 5 instead of Grade 6. That’s why the celebration. She and all the other kids going into Grade 6 will have to go to another School.

I made a nice card for her and wrote her a little poem. She didn’t seem overly excited about it and I hope she appreciates the effort I made. But then again, she is only 11 years old and maybe I expected too much. Nobody wrote a poem for me when I was 11, so I can’t say how I would have reacted. Then again, we didn’t celebrate anything at school until we left in Grade 8 (that was in Germany). Many students began an apprenticeship at 14 years of age, after Grade 8. Some went on to higher Schools to get more education, like I did. When I left High School I didn’t get a poem, either. I didn’t have an uncle or grandfather who did that sort of thing. If they did, I might have thought it weird. I don’t know. Kids think different from adults.

Anyway, I do write the occasional poem, mainly for my wife, even though I don’t consider myself a poet. I believe, she appreciates them. At least, I hope she does. She always says so. I always remind her that buying a card or flowers is easy, making a card and writing a poem does take effort and time and it comes from the heart.

Here is the poem I wrote for my granddaughter:

 On your journey through life

You will learn new things

And you must learn to accept

What destiny brings

You study and learn

And then you graduate

But that’s not the end

And you must not be afraid

Now you’ve graduated from Grade Five

You will leave your school and old friends

Remember, this is just the beginning

Your education never ends

But today is your Graduation

Be happy and have fun

We wish you all the luck

Today and every day from now on

With lots of Love

Oma and Opa

XOXO