The Inauguration of
President Selma Botman

  • Saturday, April 25, 2009

  • 1:00 p.m., Hannaford Lecture Hall

  • Abromson Community Education Center, Portland

Poem for inauguration

Listen to Dr. Annie Finch read the inaugural poem

This poem, by USM Professor Annie Finch, was created for President Botman on the occasion of her inauguration on April 25, 2009.

University Turning

By the strong wings of seagulls, the strong roots of pines,
by the salt in the air, and the sun,
by thin glass and bright steel and old brick and new stone,
we are many revolving, and one.

We are students of listening, turning through time,
Filled with trust, like a vessel or seed,
That links from a past vision, through current hope,
to the thread of a future’s true need.

In our libraries, galleries, classrooms and dreams
We leave space for what cannot be known,
knowing the voices of many are true,
and the truth of many is one.

We revolve with the universe, turning through time,
making music and science and peace.
We repair what is broken and find what is lost,
so we learn—and in learning, we teach.

We teach seasons of listening. A spiralling sphere
turns with us each time we move,
as we graduate into our city and world
a state of listening—human, like love.

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