Carpe Diem ▸ Dead Poets Society ✓

three

As I grabbed my school books off of my desk, I headed out the door. Only to almost be trampled by a hallway full of boys.

I followed the way they were going, which was down the hall and down the big spiral staircase.

I was slowly making my way towards the bottom, also known as my destination. It also seemed as though everyone was going that way.

I felt someone grab my arm. "Veronica,"

I turned to see it was Neil.

"Oh, Hey Neil," I smiled. He smiled back.

"Good luck on your first day. What class do you have first?"

"Thank you. You too," I thought for a moment. "Chemistry."

He smiled. "Me too!"

I smiled with him as we continued to make our way down the spiral staircase.

—

After a long and busy day, I finally made it to my last class, English. Which was honestly a personal favorite, It always has been.

I followed my friends, which I have most of my classes with into the class. I found a seat Next to Neil and in front of Knox.

I sat my books on the desk as I sat down. I noticed the teacher wasn't at his desk, like usual.

"Hey Spaz, Spaz" Knox whisper over my shoulder, to a boy about three desk, and a row over from me.

The boy, Spaz, turns around and someone threw a crumpled up paper at him. Then Cameron, the 'boot-licker' hits him.

"Brain Damage." Cameron smirks.

Ugh, Boys....
I turn and notice the teacher, Mr.Keating, whistling, as he makes his way out the classroom door. He never said a word.

After a few awkward seconds. He pokes his head back inside the classroom.  "Well come on."

He gestures us the follow. It was quite different as the class was hesitant, but we grabbed our books and followed him into the hallway.

Mr.Keating stops in front of the school trophy case. As all of us students follow and crowd around him.

I stood in front, I wanted to get a good view of what was happening.

Mr.Keating looks around. "Oh captain, My captain who knows where that comes from?"

It sounded familiar but, No one answers.

"Not a clue? It's from a poem by Walt Whitman about Mr.Abraham Lincoln. Now in this class you can call me Mr.Keating. Or, if your slightly more daring, 'Oh captain, my captain'." Mr.Keating says.

I giggle as the class slightly laughs, lightening the mood a bit.

Mr.Keating continues, "Now let me dismal a few rumors so they don't fester into facts. Yes, I too attended Hell-ton and survived. And no, at the time I was not the mental giant you see before you. I was the intellectual equivalent of a ninety-eight pound weakling. I would go to the beach and people would kick copies of Byron in my face."

The class stared laughing. I joined in.

The teacher looks down at his clipboard.

"Now, Mr... Pitts. That's a rather unfortunate name. Mr.pitts, where are you?"

Pitts raises his hand, about three people down from me. The boys in class snicker.

"Mr.Pitts, would you open your hymnal to page 542 and read the first stanza of the poem you find there."

I open my book in my hand as do he other students.

"To the virgins, to make much of time?" Pitts says awkwardly.

"Yes, that's the one. Somewhat appropriate isn't it." Keating replies to him. I smile at his response.

Pitts begins reading. "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, old time is still a flying, and this same flower that smiles today, will tomorrow be dying."

Keating looks at the class. "Thank you Mr.Pitts. 'Gather ye rosebud while ye may.' The Latin term for that sentiment is Carpe Diem. Now who knows what that means?"

Without even realizing it, I raise my hand.

"Carpe Diem. That would be 'Seize the day'."

"Very good, Miss.."

"Overstreet."

Mr.Keating smiles. "Thank you. Seize the day. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. Why does the writer use these lines?"

"Because he's in a hurry." I hear a voice in the back of the room say. The voice belonged to Charlie.

"No, ding!" Keating replies pushing down on an imaginary buzzer. I smiled. "Thank you for playing anyway. Because we are good for worms lads. Because, believe it or not, each and everyone of us in this room is one day going to stop breathing, turn cold, and die."

Mr.Keating turns towards the trophy case behind him. "Now I would like you to step forward over here and peruse some of the faces from the past. You've walked by them many times. I don't think you've really looked at them."

Everyone stepped forward and around the center of the table in the room and walked towards the case.

I walked over and stood near Todd. I got a good view of the pictures in the big case. Mr.Keating leans over some of the boys' shoulders.

"They're not different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, Just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you. Their eyes full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because you see Lady and Gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in."

I lean forward a little bit, as does the rest of the class.

"Carpe." I hear Keating whisper. "Hear it? Carpe. Carpe Diem. Seize the day, make your life extraordinary."

—