class of 2020
june third, twenty twenty.
a thunderous voice pronounces my name.
i exit my car and as i walk
the breeze lightly brushes my hair and tassel.
the sun’s rays warm my face and caress my eyelashes.
this is it.
this is the moment i’ve been waiting for.
i almost start to cry because
look how far we’ve come.
Once upon a time
I was a girl.
A lanky barely-teenager with a too-short and poorly-maintained haircut.
Who wore sweatpants and sweatshirts every day to school.
Who never belonged.
Who itched for more.
Look how far we’ve come.
I am a woman.
A leggy seventeen-year old with a flat-ironed bob and careful makeup.
Who wears a tasteful white dress with a sprinkle of southern style.
Who belongs.
Who owns this moment.
I will say it again:
Look how far we’ve come.
Welcome to the next chapter.
Welcome to the new.