A shimmering pool of knowledge;
Scintillating wisdom —
foraged from 85 fecund years

From pasting together the fragile balsa strips
of model planes

From meandering down the
sinuous lanes of Europe

From the august ivy-mantled buildings
of Georgetown

From distant tarmac
of remote British outposts

To years of tenacious political
wrangling

Fighting with the obstinance
of conviction

And finally
to the weaving
of a family

The laborious construction
of an iron foundation
of bracing domesticity

This pool, this lambent reservoir
winks and twinkles

And as the gyre of time turns,
it grows ever deeper.

Originally published in KidSpirit Online for the Heritage issue.

Will Hodgkinson was in 10th grade when he wrote this poem. He lives in Massachusetts and his interests include poetry and writing.

Artwork by Amy Liu, created when she was 16 years old. She is from Dallas, Texas.