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Optimism
—to the Class of 2025
The world is cold and hard and dark enough;
We need not cloud it with our own despair.
And it is furnished, too, with joyous stuff,
And you may find a blessing anywhere
You turn your eyes, if they are opened wide—
The windows of an optimistic mind.
Pay little heed to pessimists who chide;
The things you look for are the things you’ll find!
And when you find a treasure, do not rest—
That which you cherish most, you may yet be.
And of such blessings, surely this is best:
To light a fire by which your brothers see!
So be resolved, once you have seen the light,
To be a candle shining in the night.
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Benjamin Daniel Lukey lives near Monroe, North Carolina. He teaches high school English classes whenever he is not fishing or writing poetry. His new collection, What We Leave, is available now in paperback and on your Kindle device.
Dear Benjamin,
This is wonderful hope for this year’s graduating class.
I especially love the line – “The things you look for are the things you’ll find!”
Gigi
Benjamin, this message of optimism is an excellent one to give as a gift to those who are graduating with hope in their hearts and feelings of having accomplished something in life.
I have nothing against optimism, but I’m not holding my breath.
Hi Benjamin! You are in a position, and have the opportunity to point young minds in the right direction. Many speakers at graduations give specific advice (work hard, keep learning, etc). But I like your poem, which recommends a mindset to keep while living life and making the everyday decisions. We might remember that period of our lives as a good time. Or, we might have forgotten that it was a scary time, perhaps a little overwhelming. If you can’t be optimistic when you’re 18, when will you be?
Hey, do you write poetry WHILE fishing?
The sun is warm,
My butt is wet,
Flies are biting,
But no trout yet.
In one college commencement address this year, optimism was counted as an American virtue. When citizens anywhere have it, their civilization is confident enough to overcome even darkest days. This year’s graduating class has seen good reasons for optimism during their senior year, including an election to prove that many Americans want to set a new course based on past greatness. And the last semester for the class of 2025 has seen a rapid putting into effect of much the people voted for. I’m surprised that so many, whom one might expect to be pleased, prefer to maintain a sour outlook. Good for you, Benjamin, with this poem a bright one among several you’ve written for such an occasion,
The notion that more optimism is needed in the world is well expressed, here. With everything going on around us, I try to find the occasional light subject to write upon to keep me sane, which fits in with the sentiment of the final couplet – a sentiment to be remembered.
In your final line, have you considered starting with the word ‘you’ll’, rather than ‘to’.
Thanks for the read, Benjamin.