Songs of a Humble Soul

Michael Clark

Ithaca College 2015

When everyone arrived back on campus this weekend, we had no idea we'd lose one of our own during the trip home. Michael, a junior English major, was carpooling back to school with 3 other students when he swerved to avoid a deer. He sadly passed away in the accident.

Had I not seen this photo of him on The Ithacan this morning, I would not have recognized him. But the weekend before Thanksgiving break, a few friends and I were feeling spontaneous and attending a poetry reading, where Michael was one of the guest speakers. 

After an exuberant introduction by his professor, Michael stood shyly by the mic and cleared his throat. From this quiet boy I'd seen around campus, came a huge, Shakespearean-esque voice and a clear passion for the artistry of sonnets. Along with the 2 other student speakers, I appreciated his thoughts and felt his vulnerability was both inspiring and intimidating. Before leaving, we gave little nods to the students and walked out of the gallery.

Had the entire student body known we would lose such a bright spot in the literary arts world, I'm sure the gallery would've been full and he would've received much more than a few nods from kids he'd never met.

This time freshman year, I lost my best friend to a car accident over Thanksgiving break and it is an impossible time for families and friends to deal with the death of someone they love. It's hard to turn around and say "well he should've done this" or "she shouldn't have done that," but those final moments don't really matter. Though the good dying young never makes sense, it does remind us of the incredible importance of taking advantage of the time you have with people, and appreciating them while you can. 

Asking our friends how their lives are really going. Telling our parents we are grateful for all they do for us. Putting our phones down to talk to a new person. Staying a minute longer to thank someone for reading their poetry out loud.

A thoughtful article by The Ithaca Journal can be found here.