BY ROBBY GRAY (June 20, 2003, end of 12th grade)

O Captain! My Captain! we have weathered the storm,

Our ship has made it through all right but another storm is born,

Each one that comes is worse and our hull can only get so thick,

Onward we must travel through the muddy waters all aspray;

              But O world! world! world!

                  O the crimson soil of red!

                      Where on the foreign shores is raised,

                           A cry to go away.

O Captain! My Captain! let us go to the source;

Let’s sail to where these storms are founded on the truest course,

Hark! over the horizon comes a lone ship to help us!

No matter what the land lubbers say your crew is on your side;

             Look, Captain! dear father!

                 Our ears are sealed with wax

                      It is some dream that from the bay

                         They tell us "go away"

My Captain is victorious, he holds his head high,

My hand is strongly clasped in his, we both gave out a sigh;

The ship is in calm waters, its voyage just about done,

Familiar shores loom up ahead, every objective won;

           Dance, O crew! and sing, O rigging!

                But I, with saddened tread,

                    Jump to the desolate shores,

                        To catch our own lines.