To The Batch Of 2020

A graduation poem

You’ve seen the highs
You’ve seen the lows
You’ve been through sleepless nights
In pursuit of dreams and goals

You’ve seen things beyond control
No class has seen, in a long time
These are the memories you hold
As you graduate in quarantine

You don’t see the capes in black
Nor the caps flying high
There are no goodbyes
There are no, “one last times”
You’d wish it all was a lie
You’d wish your days to rewind

I’ll not say, it’s okay
That things are fine
They are not. Our world is vile

Millions striving to earn their bread
Millions of jobs, dead
I’ll not say, it’s okay
But this is not the end

You arrive at the doorsteps of reality
In the depths of winter
With no leads, nor direction
With no place to saunter
With no opportunities to mention

It is but the dawn of a new world
Where jobs are to be created, not sought
Where roses are to be planted, not plucked
Where work from home is a mandate, not an option

But you still can walk forward
Maybe slow, as slow as a snail
A tiny step each day, without fail
Is a step forward to heal the world

This is the lemonade that will make you strong
I know, not as easy as it sounds, don’t take me wrong

But even in times like this, if you can hum a song
On hope, dreams, and a tomorrow where you wish to belong
You will find light in this new normal of chaos

The convocation stage may be empty
The challenges that lie ahead may be hefty
Nevertheless, a new era awaits your entry

Have the spirit to sail through uncharted waters
We are with you, in this unprecedented journey
And that friend, is my message to the batch of 2020