when once lunch pals gather in the grand auditorium
and the tutor waves and smiles from the stage
we laugh at the jokes of the old man on the podium
and grin even wider as we celebrate
when academic stress becomes anxiety about walking the stage
and cameras are no longer for assignments, just for the feed
we did great, and will now turn the page
people will know that we care, as life’s adventures greet
when home becomes just another moldy room for rent
and people continents away become home
across the oceans, love and wisdom are sent
the echoes of laughter find us wherever we may roam
when “let’s meet this weekend” becomes “remember when”
and “see ya tomorrow” becomes “may our paths cross again”
our time here ended right where it was meant
but it’s the company that made it all not vain
Brighton-Hà Nội, 1/2024
Thu writes here 