To you, great wanderers of our world
Not quite here, yet not quite there
Your past keeps with you, its hold
Your future beckons you to God knows where
To you, architects & builders of our time
Not quite old, yet not quite new
Your sentimentality hones your rhyme
Your vision separates you among with the few
To you, artists & sirens of our hearts
Not quite in melody, yet not quite in trance
Your symbols of beauty revives our art
Your music renews the joy in our dance
To you, students & stewards of our minds
Not quite in the dark, yet not quite wise
Your innocence will keep you curious & kind
Your grasp moves us forward as we rise
To you, doctors & nurses of our bodies
Not quite impersonal, yet not quite immersed
Your ferocity of intellect heals maladies
Your tireless care cures the accursed
To you, ministers and torches for our souls
Not quite of the world, yet not quite heavenly
Your teachings shed light to what runs foul
Your model, an exemplar of the good we hope to be
To you, growers & farmers of our lands
Not quite on dirt, yet not quite separate
Your strength tills the soil with your hands
Your nature feeds the dreams we create
To you, sailors & captains of our air & seas
Not quite steady, yet not quite wobbly
Your compass of stars commands the breeze
Your fortitude we admire so gladly
To you, cooks & servers of our cuisine
Not quite traditional, yet not quite bizarre
Your genius both known & remains to be seen
Your energy needed long after every meal
To you, bankers & financiers of our enterprise
Not quite invested, yet not quite sloppy
Your rigor keeps in order whatever we organize
Your faith break the rules of possibility
To you, workers & makers of our goods
Not quite robotic, yet not quite reflexive
Your focus lights up our devices & our neighborhoods
Your grind keeps us on point towards our objectives
And to you, readers, consumers, & critics of our calling
Not quite caring, yet not quite aloof
Your patronage keeps us, them, and all this going
Your respect, to our craft and mission, proof
// Dean Marc Co
// Singapore
// National Library Building
// Study Room
// 2015 12 13
