Class of 2014 haiku

Graduation day
May 18th, Twenty-fourteen
Olathe North High

Looking forward, back
At the same time — nostalgic,
Exhilarating

The class roll is called
More than 400 — each name
A life unfolding

Among them’s our girl
Just 18, so strong and smart,
With so much ahead

Some mid-’90s names:
Ashley, Cassidy, Amber,
Connor, Brody, Nate

Oluwatobi,
Guadalupe, Magali,
Isidro, Satchel

Sallem, Nabiyat,
Ramzi, Mihret — students born
In a dozen lands

And for this moment
We’re all one — one hope per heart
And one lump per throat

The last name is read
Principal’s farewell spoken
The Eagles take flight

Class of 2012 haiku

Graduation Day
At Olathe North High School
Eagles leave the nest

Packed tight in the gym
Close friends, closer relatives
Eagles, or sardines?

A heartfelt farewell
From retiring principal
Who loved and inspired

Grad’s eloquent words
Of sacrifice and success
Lessons and leaving

Pomp and circumstance
Handshakes, sheepskin, sheepish grins
Caps and gowns abound

America’s best
Including grads born under
16 other flags

America’s dream
Opportunity for all
Seized and realized

America’s hope
Four hundred and twenty strong
Ready for big things

17, 18
Parents wonder how the years
Went by in seconds

17, 18
So young, yet so smart and strong
Primed to shake things up

Yes, one of them’s mine
And we couldn’t be prouder
Of all his hard work

But now he’s the world’s
He’ll make it a better place
An Eagle takes flight