Midway through the very long graduation ceremony for the graduating class of Walt Whitman 2009 the principal announced an award that was an unknown award for the recipient (and apparently everyone else).

He said that it was a new (2 year old) tradition.

It was a recognition of the poet laureate of the year.

Then he said my daughter’s name.

We’d not heard of this award.

Apparently I jumped several inches out of my seat.

Poet laureate — Carl Sandburg came to mind. Maya Angelou too.

My daughter.

My baby.

My Poet Laureate.

Clare