I heard the murmurs, the exclaiming
the muted hushed knowing
on the growing, the maturing
the changes in all of them
the little children who became students
the girls and boys who walked into the class
and the young learners leaving
ready for more challenges
greater lessons, with a foundation built
laid brick by brick by their loving hands
nurtured day by day throughout the year
joy in their hearts, smiles on their faces
each one of them, in the review of their year
their first year in school
memorialize in the pictures, yes;
but more sure than that
in the knowing of how much they have grown