Selected Graduation Poems
Here is a selection of poems submitted by students to commemorate De Anza's 54th annual graduation celebration and the Class of 2021.
Introducing Our Graduation Poet: Sara Robertson
Sara is graduating this year with degrees in English and Liberal Arts. She'll be reading an original poem during the Online Grad Celebration video premiere on Friday, June 25, and her poem will be published here after the event. Watch for more announcements soon!Poem for Graduates
By Josh Schoen
Like a slowly advancing tsunami
This year started calmly, then gathered strength
And blew out all of our expectations
Lives upended
Plans fractured
People shuttered inside
As if they were captured
In this vast world
Of bleakness and fear
And then, slowly
We emerged like a brilliant butterfly
Trying out new wings
And flying, soaring
To new heights that we didn't think we could achieve
And here we are
Post-vaccinated, crawling out of the dark
And ready to enter a phase of wonder
Of creativity and exploration
Into a new world
A better world
One of compassion, of love, of unity
One where we all look out for each other
Where we know our neighbors
And can count on each other
Where we can take these new skills
To another place
And thrive, knowing what we learned
From this year of darkness
As the light has finally shined through
(Untitled)
By Brenda Eldridge
It is never too late to presume your dreams
But catch them while you can
While you are young and your mind is fresh, alive and free
It is never too late to presume your dreams
Even if you are older and find that you are in need of more
It is never too late to presume your dreams
Do not wait or put anything off for tomorrow
It is never too late to presume your dreams
Education, while it can lead to success, what you learn will always stay with you
It is never too late to presume your dreams
To learn is to grow the mind and the spirit
It is never too late to presume your dreams
So walk through your learning, do not run
It is never too late to presume your dreams
You will feel a sense of achievement that will take you high to another level in your mind
It is never too late to presume your dreams
(Untitled)
By Esperanza Sanz Escudero
Vital resilience
Blossoming into new feats,
together we grad
Possible
By Carolina Mondragon
We have survived catastrophe
Falling buildings,
recessions and war.
We’ve overcome our personal doubts,
Naysayers,
And the “Karen” asking for the manager the day you took your final.
Although we have lost some battles,
We have returned three times as powerful.
Today we walk,
Tomorrow we run,
For everything is possible.
(Untitled)
By Vu Nguyen
To everyone stand here on this day
We all achieved our first step
In the long run of our life
Two years of college was end
But still more years to endeavor
Learning is a life process
I hope we stand till the end.
Fly close to the sun
By Kimi Fernandez Mendez
For you are not Icarus,
your wings are not wax
You will soar higher than he ever did
beneath the sun, wings intact
For you are not Icarus
wings bursting into fire
And if they were blazing alight
it would not be to fall but to inspire
(Untitled)
By Jack Son
I am no longer one who isolates,
I have become one who forefront the position to facilitate.
No longer will I step down and descend to be weak,
Forever will I strive up and ascend beyond the peaks.
To refrain myself from those who left me astray who bar me in a barricade no longer,
be resilient and relentless to break free to lust for wander.
Stay true to self, but embrace those who persist in your reassurance,
keep them close and reminisce this journey to your perseverance.
To my loved ones, if we ever become distant and apart,
just remember that from the start, we are forever together in heart.