For Ken

I don’t know how to say goodbye

So I’ll write a poem instead

Because that is the only thing that will encompass these thoughts in my head

And explain the costs of leaving here

I’ve been heaving up pieces of myself for years

You guys have heard my laughs and tears

Transforming my fears into art

People always focus on the ending

But what is really important is the start

This is my home

Where I’ve grown

And known myself in ways I didn’t think I could

They always tell you to step up

And this was my plate

Where I had the potential to be something great

And even when I get irate when you capitalize all 3 letters of

“Ken”

Because it’s a word in the dictionary

It doesn’t stand for anything

--but that’s just not true for me anymore

I must confess

That ken means “yes” in Hebrew

And that has proven to be true

Here you said

            Yes we believe I you

            Yes you can do anything your heart tells you to

            Yes there is where fantasies come true

            Yes this where the voices grew

I’ve taken on protégées and been one

And yes clubs are supposed to be fun

But this is the only one that has taken on that title

D2 is the only place that has taken a space in my soul

Not stood idle on my resume

And although it seems like just the other day

In 2011 Taylor Mali

Told me when I said I’m a member of ken

That literary art magazines always have the funniest names

And 4 years later I can say the same

Because Ken

Is not your range of vision

It’s your range of revision

Decision

Collision

And nuclear fission

It’s more than what you can see

It’s what you feel and believe

And this is the place where people believed in me

And set free a reason to write these rhymes

Here there were open ears and times

When you listened to me

When I couldn’t even bear to listen to myself

This was a wealth of waving hands

And genuine smiles

And I would walk miles

If that’s what it took to get me one more hand up

To answer the prompt

You have stomped the rhythm of my heart beat

Every time I saw your feet walk though that door

You gave me art and writing

And I always wanted more

And I’ve been in a bunch of activities

I’ve won more than one prize

But the greatest of all is that look in your eyes

When I’ve inspired you

Or you’ve inspired me

When I truly am your president

And I don’t know where this year went

I just know that I love you so much

You are my children

            Siblings

            My friends

And when this meeting ends

I don’t think those things ever should

And I’m going really far away

More towns that I could ever say

But I pray that we’ll stay close

Because this is one of the things that’ve touched me the most

It’s been the host of the person I want to be and become

And if I could strum each moment together

It’d be the most beautiful song

Because as a friend said

            This is where I belong

And saying goodbye feels all wrong

Because nothing could replace

The smile on my face that you’ve stenciled in

Because the truth doesn’t exist until someone bears witness to it

And you have been my audience

I know you all have the sense

To ensure that this club will

As the giant it is today

So this is the one thing I have left to say

I might be leaving Ken

But Ken will never go away.