Begin: A Poem for Graduates

Begin and begin and begin again. 

Don’t stop beginning until the end 

of the road begins to unfold 

and reveals all you know 

is but a drop in the bucket,

a grain of sand on the beach,

a single twinkling star in a galaxy far 

and oh, so, near. 

Begin and begin and begin again, my dear. 

Don’t stop beginning until the final page begins to fray, 

till the night becomes day 

shining light on worlds unseen

on new paths, on new dreams 

that are yours to take hold of. 

Begin and begin and begin again my love. 

Don’t stop beginning until the end of the ocean 

rolls over the sand and the weight of the water 

begins to demand that you sink or swim 

that you sail or fly; 

that you become the wind itself 

reaching far and wide 

gathering wisdom and sowing in kind. 

Begin and begin and begin and again, young minds. 

Don’t stop beginning until the end 

of this world rolls into the next; 

till you’ve seen your best become better 

and your faith become deeper; 

till you serve ones weaker 

and let your light shine brighter; 

till you embody the dreams of our fathers 

and their mothers and their mother’s mothers. 

on whose shoulders you stand. 

Begin and begin and begin again my friend. 

Don’t stop beginning until the end.