‘lina days and
                  lone star nights

blunt pops of plastic against paddle,

oohs of amazement, and shrieks of awe:

these sounds from the other room

replenish our spirit like

chlorophyll in the afternoon

shockwaves launched, back and forth,

from the tiny orange sun,

across decades and statelines,

wrinkles of time

in a dynamic quiltwork

wrap a new generation in the fold.

life is simple

when it’s filled with love and laughs;

like ducklings in a line,

we move as a unit

from stone mountain to shaker heights

and back;

we’re proud of you, as your fluffy feathers

change into a full-grown crown;

you’ve imprinted on your hometown,

now, leave your mark on the world.

when people believe in you,

like we have and always will,

you can do miraculous things

just like you’ve done, and will continue to do

stay fast and stay curious,

as you surge toward your future;

arms outstretched, we’re waiting

and cheering here for you,

fear not this new stage of
your new world—

you’ve got this!

make your choices, and don’t look back—

these ducklings, we’ve got your back.

look around you,

and you will see

your ride or dies here for you;

your friends and family

blended together,

strong steel makes reliable guardrails.

enjoy this smudge where green meets blue,

cousins, family, no times removed.

we’re all here to celebrate you.

as sure as big D stands for Dom Toretto,

the most important thing in life

is the people in this room

(we love you)