Poetry by Joey Connolly
Then-CNMI Delegate Gregorio Kilili Sabalan made the following remarks
in his keynote speech to NMC’s 43rd Commencement Exercise on May 17, 2024:
“When I ran for that seat and people asked me why, I had a simple answer:
Education, Education, Education. In politics you keep your message simple.
It does not get much simpler than simply repeating the same word over
and over: Education, Education, Education.”
Q. & A. for 2026 CNMI HS Graduates
What you gonna say about your own graduation?
How you gonna grade or assess your own education?
What you gonna do about your present situation
working out your boyfriends/girlfriends’ complications?
Are you going off island or are you staying here?
What’s your future plans? What do you want or need?
Will you drink in more knowledge or more cold beer?
Will you be driving fast cars and smoking local weed?
What’s the most important thing in life? Can you guess?
My mother always said it was good health and happiness
We all need food, clothing, shelter, and lots of love
It can come from friends, family, and heaven above
No matter where you go, no matter what you gonna do
Remember love and kindness. To your own self be true.
HS EDUCATION: YESTERDAY TODAY and TOMORROW
“The future belongs to young people with an education and
the imagination to create.” – POTUS 44 Barack Obama
As you turn what for some is formal education’s last page
you think about the past, present, all the long tomorrows
as you get your diploma walking across the graduation stage
with memories of friends, family, happiness, and sorrows.
Do you remember when Juan got in trouble and Maria did this?
that party at the beach, first time you got drunk drinking beer
when you finally got serious enough and gave your first kiss
when you got scared to drive when you were learning to steer?
Today goes like a flash, time slips away, like a comet in the sky
you may ask yourself, I wonder why? I really wonder why?
Today you’ll get words of wisdom from parents and teachers
and wisecracks and jokes from some up in the bleachers.
Keep learning tomorrow. Keep learning your whole life.
Learn to teach others, your future children, husband, or wife.
Joey “Pepe Batbon” Connolly is a retired educator who taught in the CNMI, NOLA, and LVNV. He is the Poet Laureate of Tinian and enjoys stargazing.
