It's not real,

I say to myself

As I watch my childhood,

My whole life,

All I have ever known,

Flash by before my eyes.

This isn't me.

Not now,

Not yet.

It's too soon.

But still I stand,

In my white robe,

My gold tassel hanging from my cap,

Diploma in hand.

When did this happen?

When did I grow up?

When did my childhood suddenly disappear?

I never even noticed.

I look around at all these people,

The friends I have had since kindergarten,

And I realize after all these years,

We have changed.

We know things we didn't know nine years ago,

We dream of things that can become reality.

With a pang of regret,

All the things I never said rush to my mind.

How I never apologized for all my wrongs,

And never got to say how much I cared.

And now I will never get to say goodbye.

Because I cannot,

Will not accept this.

I don't understand how this is the end.

Will I ever see them again?

It all crashes down on me now.

Weeks ago,

I told myself that I still had more time,

I could put off the goodbyes,

I didn't have to cry.

But as I stand here now and look around,

I see all the people

Who I haven't said goodbye to,

And now there is no time left.

Wait,

Stop,

This is not happening.

I can't understand.

This is the end?

This is the end?