The Tassel's Worth the Hassle

Mon, 04/22/2013 - 10:21 -- TWright

Location

23464
United States
36° 47' 50.4492" N, 76° 11' 23.8776" W

Wake up! Shine and rise! Wipe the dream goo from your eyes,
Scrape the slob streaks from your cheek, off to the mirror--take a peek;

At your reflection you now stare, as morning breath gets urgent care,
Looking back at you is an agent of change,
The choice is yours: make the most of your day.

Beyond your walls is a world of dreams, with hard work, all can be achieved.

Just issue this simple proclamation; the key to the good life's actualization:

The tassel's worth the hassle!

You've combed your hair, you've washed your face,
Now head to school. YOU'VE GOT TO RACE!

Grab your book bag; grab your coat, and your home training...
You better act like you know!

Listen to all of your teachers' speeches, no daydreaming of exotic beaches,
Put hard work in from day one, then you'll enjoy real fun in the sun.

There's a time to work and a time to play,
But in the classroom, there's no shade of gray.

Make good friends, get hearty laughs,
But top priority should be English, Science, History and Math.

The tassel's worth the hassle!

Sports contracts and record deals are easy ways to pay your bills.
But if your bones and notes all crack, upon what can you fall back?

Yes, all the world is a stage, and so many in it are trying to get paid,
Personal jets, luxury cars, yachts and houses near and far...

Money can come and it can go, but you can never be robbed of what you know,
Don't let a dollar chase leave you depraved, take advantage of now;
MAKE THE GRADE!

The tassel's worth the hassle!

You may not've been born with a silver spoon,
But that's NO excuse to be a buffoon!

Does your neighborhood lack political clout?
Get a good education; help your neighborhood out!

Will crime and drugs become mundane?
They don't promote prosperity, just more of the same.

STDs and abortion treat life like debris,
The root of social poverty? The death of the family.

Your net worth may not be worth a lot--
But don't settle; you've been given a shot!

Shed blood and tears paved the way for you--
Becoming educated is the least you can do.

The tassel's worth the hassle!

Your foreparents fought and endured great pain;
To abide in ignorance means their labor was in vain.

We build up statues and rename city streets,
But let's be their memorials; their living legacies.

Let's move from struggles of the past,
Martin Luther saw we're free at last!

Those old soldiers guided us to the Promised Land;
Now possess the promise with the deeds of your hand.

That promise isn't money, jewelry, or fame,
But the choice and the chance to bring honor to your name.

Don't let things or statistics be your life's definition,
In this war for the mind, knowledge is your chief ammunition.

The tassel's worth the hassle!

Set high standards, set lofty goals;
Each rung in your ladder is the knowledge you hold.

Wealth of the mind overshadows wealth of the world,
READ and get rich, little boys and girls.

High school graduation is not the finale--
It's just round one; continue your rally,

If power is manifested through the gaining of knowledge,
Go join a scholarly gym--matriculate at a college!

Cures and solutions your mind can create,
Higher education will help your ideas cultivate.

College teaches how to think, endure, and make deals,
It grants exposure to the world, thus, redefining what it means to "keep it real."

The tassel's worth the hassle!

If your life's been authored with a fate tipped pen,
The ink isn't permanent; you CAN begin again!

It's never too late, and you're never too old;
Don't let any circumstance, your destiny, to withhold.

The giving of material things is kind,
But give a priceless gift; a reshaping of the mind.

Until there is a paradigm shift in the way we think,
Communal success will rest beyond the brink.

Don't give yourself an excuse to frolic about,
Don't give the world a reason to count you out,

You want change in your city? Change on your streets?
Then get educated and be the change you wish to see!

The tassel's worth the hassle!

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