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A Poem Celebrates the DS Journey

3 Comments / Academics, Admissions, Alumni, Celebrations, Student Life / By
With the dust of graduation settling and our Class of 2021 preparing to drive off (and fly off) to college, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on a very special moment from graduation. 
 
Kira Nakushian ’21, after taking an inspiring poetry class with Mrs. Russo, was compelled to write a poem to perform. Her poem was nostalgic, hopeful, thoughtful, and beautiful. It brought back memories for students, staff, faculty, friends, and family. Nothing else could have captured the feeling of graduating quite the same. 
 
We wanted to share her poem with all, as we believe alumni, and our extended community and family will love it as much as we all did. And at the end, we followed up with Kira to ask her about writing the piece! Check it out! 
Thank you, Kira, for sharing. Keep writing!
 

Four Thousand, Two Hundred and Eighty Days

Four thousand, two hundred and eighty days.

Oh, to be a child again,

    Backpack towering over my frame,

    As I walk past the no cry line into the discovery room.

Sparkly pencils, stickers, scented markers,

     Trying to see who had the prettiest colors in their crayon box.

Cupcakes for class birthdays, Books and breakfast, 

      Cider donuts and five apples picked on a field trip.

Christmas chapel spent sitting on the floor,

     Marveling at the candles held in the air, but too young to hold one.

Singing ‘Go now in Peace’ at every chapel –

     in pitchy rounds of three.

Everything seemed so big and new and exciting.

Oh, to be a child again.


Two thousand, nine hundred and twenty days.


Oh, to be green in the green pod again,

Excitement bubbling over as the Skye farm sign comes into view,

    Watching the new kids race to pick a team out of the threadbare hat,

    Sacred Ziti and powdered lemonade,

    Canon balls and canoe rides,

placing bets on who will capsize first.

Desperately wanting to sit against the back cabinets in morning meetings – 

    A sign of status, of age, of maturity

Mr. H dancing atop lab tables, dropping pencils

    Gaping at gravity –


Mr. Corwin breaking his cane over a desk, 

Uniform checks before chapels, Romeo and Juliet, 

Ms. B and her dang DBQ’s,

The dreaded mix-it up day at lunch,

The torture of learning fair and the relief of integrated project,

It’s not a test, but a celebration of knowledge.

      Three cheers:

      Hip Hip Hooray!

      Hip Hip Hooray!

      Hip Hip Hooray!

Oh, to be green in the green pod again.


One thousand, four hundred and fifty seven days.


Oh, to be naive about the passage of time –

First day jitters, familiar and unfamiliar faces

Hurrying in herds to classes – not quite used to the new found freedom.

    Bottom of the barrel – “Nobody likes the freshman”

Study halls to free periods,

Perpetually procrastinating 

     Problem sets, portfolios, projects, and papers.

Late nights and early mornings,

The collective groan as the library lights flicker on in the morning,

     Too bright, too early.


Corn roast, and lou and the Pink game,

The progression of lounges,

   A sign of status, of age, of maturity.

Foster’s literal land and Felicity’s invisible presence,

Mr. Pickett pouring random chemicals into failing labs,

Human brains on lunch trays –  because ‘what else would I put them on’.

Senioritis slowing eating away at ambition,

Life dictated by underdeveloped frontal lobes,

    Running on caffeine –

    Adrenaline.


Meeting with Ms. Bracken –

forgetting everything about yourself,

    Trying to put together a college list,

    Writing essay, after essay, after essay.

Putting your best self forward, in 600 words or less.


Zero days.

– Naive about the passage of time –

 
“I have always been into poetry – using it as a way to express and process my emotions. However, my love of poetry was elevated to the next level when I took Mrs. Russo’s poetry class this fall. I had an amazing time writing and reading poetry and was encouraged to continue writing and developing my own style. I have been a part of the Doane Stuart Community for twelve years or four thousand two hundred and eighty days (from September 16, 2009, to June 6, 2020 (my first day of first grade until graduation). 
 
A part of me felt obligated to speak at graduation – I have been a part of the community for so long and my brother spoke as well, but I had no motivation to put together a speech. It felt forced. On a whim, I decided that I would write a poem – I thought I would be able to share all the memories I wanted in an easier way. I focused on the passage of time in the poem and worked hard to craft a rhythm and musicality to the wording. I wanted everyone in the class to be able to relate to my words – not just my memories. My goal was to have each phrase trigger memories in the listeners’ minds – creating a snowball effect of nostalgia.
 
In the fall I will be attending Barnard College of Columbia University. I am very excited and hope to major in Neuroscience and behavior.
 
If I could describe graduation in one sentence:
Graduation was the final paragraph and closing chapter of our high school careers – bittersweet, but necessary for the growth and success of the Class of 2021.”
 

3 thoughts on “A Poem Celebrates the DS Journey”

  1. Sandi Miller

    Kira, this is an absolutely wonderful poem. You captured what has always been the heart of DS . Best of luck to you in your future endeavors. So glad I had the opportunity to teach you once upon a time!

  2. Sandi Miller

    Congratulations Kira. You perfectly captured the spirit of DS. In your poem. Best of luck in your future years. I feel privileged to know I taught you once upon a time!

    Sandi Miller

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