We ARE Virginia Tech

The response to the reading of this poem by Nikki Giovanni was astonishing. In Cassell, they chanted "Let's Go Hokies" and in the Stadium one side chanted "Let's Go" as the other responded with "Hokies" (which is standard procedure at any football game) as tears rolled down everyone's cheeks. That was the first time I really felt any sense of encouragement. This was the first time that I felt that I could actually move on. And when we saw the shot of Frank Beamer and his wife crying during all of this... we just broke down. But I must say the worst moment during convocation was when a family member of the victim was so overwhelmed with grief that he had to be removed from the service. I cannot imagine he is going through. My heart sank. Convocation was a step in the right direction - it has not made things easier, but at least we know that the healing process has begun. Additionally, the out pour of support from around the nation and the world is remarkable. In the place of college rivalry, comes overwhelming comraderie. Every time I see a "4.16.2007 - today we are all hokies" sign or message, a piece of me sinks and I wish I could personally thank everyone. I see that my hometown baseball team "The Nationals" wore Virginia Tech baseball caps to their game today and it moved me to tears. I cannot express my gratitude to all of you who have sent encouraging words - it helps so much at a time like this. I went to sleep crying last night and woke up crying. I wanted so much to wake up this morning and just realize it was all a horrible nightmare. Reality sets in and now I understand that the next few days, and months will be a journey to heal. Thank you for supporting me through all of this from the bottom of my heart.

Nikki Giovanni's Poem

We are Virginia Tech
We are sad today
And we will be sad for quite a while
We are NOT moving on
We are embracing our mourning
We are Virginia Tech
We are strong enough to stand tall tirelessly
We are brave enough to bend to cry, and sad enough to know
We must laugh again
We are Virginia Tech
We do not understand this tragedy
We know we did nothing deserve it
But neither does the child in Africa, dying of AIDS
Neither do the invisible children, walking the night away to avoid being captured by rogue army
Neither does the baby elephant, watching his community be devastated for ivory
Neither does the Mexican child looking for fresh water
Neither does the Appalachian child, killed in his own crib, in the home his father built with his own hands, being run over by a boulder because the land was destabilized
No one deserves a tragedy
We are Virginia Tech
The Hokie nation embraces our own and reaches out with open heart and hands to those that offer their hearts and minds
We are strong and brave and innocent and unafraid,
We are better than we think and not quite what we want to be
We are live to the imagination
And the possibility we will continue to invent the future
Through our blood and tears
Through all this sadness
We are the Hokies
We will prevail
We will prevail
We will prevail
WE ARE
VIRGINIA TECH