Scholastic Spotlight: Kamryn Hellman

excerpt from Broken World

Gold Key

Author: Kamryn Hellman

12^th Grade

Educator: Mary Huff

Fargo

Nothing More

Senior prom, find a date,

Know your friends will stay out late.

Limousine, midnight kiss.

Must be something more to this.

Get a job, after school.

“I have work” is the new “cool.”

Paychecks come, hit or miss,

Must be something more to this.

Study hall, on your phone,

Just pretend you’re not alone.

Like and snap and block and hiss,

“Must be something more to this.”

Homework now, papers due,

College applications, too.

Resume, scholarships,

Must be something more to this.

Cap and gown, white and blue,

Millions did this before you.

Get diploma, raise a fist,

Must be something more to this.

You’ll go to college, live it up,

Graduate and raise your cup,

Find true love, become a wife,

What they call a perfect life.

Get a house, two careers,

Have some kids in a few years,

Pay the bills, mow the lawn,

passing your traditions on.

Some will rise, some will fall.

You’ll exist between them all.

Empty nest, cook and clean,

Dream of things you’ve never seen.

Now too old, hair too white.

Money never worked out right.

Senior yearbook, you still save.

Each diploma finds a grave.