A Poem for the class of 2020

Born in the shadow of 9/11

Who entered adolescence in the wake of the financial crash

And now, graduating in the midst of a global pandemic

Life has not always been kind

Circumstances have tried to bury you at every turn

Crush you low and down

Under crisis after crisis

But you are seeds

You will sprout

And grow

And thrive

Look bad fortune in its face and laugh a mocking laugh

You will teach us the way to joy in the midst of adversity

The way of love in the midst turmoil

The way to begin and begin and begin again

There will be many more milestones to celebrate

Trust me

There will be

We will never stop celebrating your resilience through it all