The End of Elementary : Jill Berry Blog

My girl (in blue) and her friend Sadie (yellow) graduated today from the fifth grade. The gym was filled with graduates and their parents, most of whom I have known since kindergarten. We are a small town. It was so moving, so profound, to think this journey at this school with all of these kids sped by like lightening. One minute Sydney is prone on the kindergarten playground, sobbing on her first day at school, the next, here we are. I need to remember all of it, I will try and keep it in my heart, the luscious nature of youth, of perfect skin and ideas, of freshness.

William Stafford is a poet I love for lots of reasons, not the least of which is that he nails the kid experience. This is my offering from Bill today.

First Grade
In the play Amy didn’t want to be
anybody; so she managed the curtain.
Sharon wanted to be Amy. But Sam
wouldn’t let anybody be anybody else—
he said it was wrong. “All right,” Steve
“I’ll be me, but I don’t like it.”
So Amy was Amy, and we didn’t have the play.
And Sharon cried.

This is dedicated to the Fifth Grade Graduates of Superior Elementary School. What a vision you all were today!

Comments

2 Responses to “The End of Elementary”

PennyA on May 28th, 2009 8:23 pm

You will blink once or twice more, and these lovelies will have blossomed into amazing young women with the world at their feet!

Our baby-girl will be a credited actress, entering her sophomore year in the fall. The 5th grade graduation seems like yesterday

Best wishes to your graduate!
Erin Quintero on May 29th, 2009 12:34 am

I just cannot believe it, Sydney is just lovely she looks so proud. I remember you telling me about her first day of school. Wow you must be beaming..

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