Commencement
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COMMENCEMENT SUMMER | AUGUST 4, 2019 Pomp, circumstance, and other songs of a lifetime selves that balance this globe and enable were it not for the lullabyes and songs of it to spin true. Grandson of peasant dear parents, their parents, theirs. Some by Professor David Citino, 1947–2005, Late University Poet Laureate immigrants, I was given are here today in the flesh. Many are not. We mourn them with cadences of our (Originally presented as the 2000 Winter Commencement address) the opportunity to earn a doctorate hearts. Think how many people in English literature from Ohio State— If you’re like me, you’ve got a big head, Heartbreak Hotel, down at the end to because my family labored long nights sang before us, gave us a name, a voice, not to mention a funny robe, full of do your best. Tennessee Ernie Ford, around the kitchen table trying to learn taught us the right words. We must music— poems and melodies, the tunes “Sixteen Tons”: St. Peter don’t you call this arduous English. I sat where cherish them by remembering every we move to, shower and shave by, study, me ‘Cause I can’t go. I owe my soul to song. When we sing to others, we honor write to. Not just the incidental, the company store. you’re sitting twenty-six years ago. our fathers and mothers, thank them Bob Dylan and Smokey Robinson got but the momentous music keeping time. You have been digging deep in mines of me through. Yes, it took a prophet and Our histories are measures of song. Listen knowledge. We all owe our souls to Ohio for this day of profound scarlet and gray Miracles! My son earned an OSU Ph.D. to your heart: drums of Africa, sea-spume State, company store of learning, shared pomp and circumstance. O, come let’s in history. Now you, graduates, are of blind, far-sighted Homer, Sappho’s experience—precious ore we have in sing Ohio’s praise, And songs to Alma being honored— honeyed love lyrics. Often, common forever. Mater raise. Alma mater. Ohio State is our sweet, nurturing mother. by degrees. We’ve all come together music speaks for us, one note saying Now I hear Domenico Modugno’s fervent around the kitchen table of Ohio State. a thousand words. Like Rodolpho in urging to wish, sing, fly, Volare, Wo-oo. We came of age here, with her help. Ohio, Round on the ends and high in the Puccini’s La Boheme, Sono un poeta. Cantare, Wo-o-o-o. My grandfather was Well, Mother, we love you, but, like, I am a poet. Che cosa faccio? What do a peasant farmer, a contadino in Calabria middle. For the years to come we’ll sing it’s time we moved out, got a place of I do? Scrivo. I write. This ceremony in the toe together, Beautiful Ohio, our own. You’re standing there, Mom, gray hair, eyes scarlet is loud music—pomp and circumstance of Italy. He knew it’s the human lot to in dreams again I see, Visions of what of the life you began freshman year or dream of flying. Lucky, lucky, lucky me, used to be. These psalms, sacred from crying. We won’t forget you. that first day of graduate school. In my I’m a lucky son-of-a-gun. I work eight thoughts of our tribes, 78’s and 33’s, Now, even though this ceremony means head I press Play, and the CD of Big Days hours, I sleep eight hours, That leaves tapes, CD’s—they take up space in we’re being weaned, taken off the nipple, kicks on. I leap and linger eight hours for fun. shelves of our skulls, our hearts. let’s take care to cherish her all our days. They remind us Let’s remember over moments too sweet, nearly, for Hey! He sailed in steerage across the words. I’ll never escape rhymes from the Atlantic, came to Cleveland, where he we want a song beyond the run-of-the- the words to the songs she taught us, nursery. Up above the world so high, like stayed long enough to work 52 years for mill thrill, the moment throbbing with and pass them on. We’ll remember a diamond in the sky. We knew from the the B&O Railroad, before lying down to pleasure or bathed in the blues. We always, Graduation Day. Summer’s heat, start our universe was aglow with wonder. rest in good Ohio soil. So many of us ache for something grander than pure and winter’s cold, The seasons pass, selfishness.Songs sung for one the years will roll, Time and change Italian, Latin, English songs in nasal here today came from elsewhere, or alone are not true music. Arias shared accents of Cleveland. Gaudeamus igitur, ancestors did. From Tennessee, Italy, will surely show How firm thy friendship, are music of the spheres, ways of saying Juvenes dum sumus. So, let us rejoice, Africa, Asia, Appalachia—even, President O-hi-O. We call that little number Carmen to another something from the soul. Of while we are young. Youth is that gift we Kirwan, the wilds of Kentucky and Ohio. Carmen means song in Latin. course the Buckeye Battle Cry is there. can’t comprehend while we’re young. Maryland. Women and men with backs You’ve worked hard; she is your reward; This ceremony Drive, drive on down the field, supple as birch trunks. The courage it today is your reward. means you all are less young than you took to pick up stakes and begin again Men (and women!) of the Scarlet and You’re filled to overflowing with the were. Don’t let the heavy knowledge in a new world! Think of the work those Gray.Well, you drove on down the field, notes, the poems we’ve written together. gained from your studies deprive you of older ones did. For you. You all are facing and you drove up and down the streets, You know the score. Continue to work the gifts of youth, to be able to rejoice at a change right now. around and around crowded lots, looking hard for yourselves, and one another. the drop of a hat, to care for, be moved for a place to park, Find the ones who need by others. This sheepskin is your passport. You’re bound for emigration to the next song of and you searched our dark, ancient you to sing to, for them, in the world. Now I hear golden hits of five decades. your life. Ohio State is the ark on which library for a decent place to study. My Graduates, this joyful litany, this hymn Big Mama Thornton, and that so- you’ve been sailing. You’ve been the wife, Mary’s, father marched in the first our ancestors collaborated on with us, called King (King of what, fried butter precious cargo. “Script Ohio,” in 1936. He’s here today the calling of your name today is music sandwiches?) who stole away her hound with us, blowing his horn, I can’t help dog. You ain’t never killed a rabbit, you But, as Noah once said, I can see clearly to our ears. Sing that name proudly ain’t no friend now the rain is gone. The ark, our but feel, as is the sweet mother I lost last all your days, as if your life depended university, was filled to overflowing with year, the one who gave me the stars. of mine. As with those profs and TAs, the diversity of us. Diversity. Networks on it. It does, you know. It has been an course after course, you had to produce— and talk shows devalue the word. Today’s music makes us think of the honor for me to speak—and sing—to you kill some rabbits—to earn respect. And I say, rather, the richness of us, precious debts we owe, and never can repay. today. Thank you, graduates, and, again, at times OSU may have seemed like difference, the grand multiplicity of So many of us would not be here Congratulations. THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY 422ND COMMENCEMENT SUMMER 2019 • AUGUST 4, 2019 • 2 P.M. • JEROME SCHOTTENSTEIN CENTER Presiding Officer Commencement Address Welcome to New Alumni Michael V. Drake Rattan Lal James E. Smith President Distinguished University Professor Senior Vice President of Alumni Relations of Soil Science President and CEO Director, Carbon Management and The Ohio State University Prelude—1:30 to 2 p.m. Sequestration Center Alumni Association Faculty Brass Quintet School of Environment and Natural Resources College of Food, Agricultural, and Alma Mater—Carmen Ohio Welcome Environmental Sciences Graduates and guests led by Molly Ranz Calhoun The Ohio State University Daniel C. Stein Interim Senior Vice President for Student Life Oh! Come let’s sing Ohio’s praise, Conferring of Distinguished Service Awards And songs to Alma Mater raise; Processional Recipients presented by While our hearts rebounding thrill, Alex Shumate With joy which death alone can still. Board of Trustees National Anthem Richard A. Hollingsworth Summer’s heat or winter’s cold, Graduates and guests led by Daniel C. Stein Gifford Weary The seasons pass, the years will roll; Class of 2019 Time and change will surely show Conferring of How firm thy friendship—O-hi-o! Invocation Degrees in Course Bonnie J. Meyer Colleges presented by Chaplain Bruce A. McPheron Recessional Department of Chaplaincy and Executive Vice President and Provost Clinical Pastoral Education Wexner Medical Center Awarding of Diplomas Excerpts from the commencement ceremony will be broadcast on WOSU-TV, Channel 34, on Monday, August 5, at 5:00 p.m.