Farewell
(On the retirement of five fellow
workers at Lederle Labs)
In a masterstroke of unplanning,
we are letting go together five of our
finest.
Lederle's preeminence was forged
in the crucible of small
working units,
Where faceless workers work
long and hard in simple ways,
Removed from spotlight, unmentioned
on honor rolls.
But today, unable to carry the
humility any longer,
We discharge an old debt to
honor five fine spirits, before it is too late.
Years to come, when Lederle becomes
number one in
industry,
The contributions of engineering
will be rediscovered in
full glory,
The five who sit here today
in elegant modesty,
Will each have a magnificent
story.
In this blissful moment of celebration
We are too eager to say good-bye
to you,
Not knowing a part of our lives
is inextricably
intertwined with yours.
Did we know you?
We shared the frustrations, the
struggles, and the hard
work all these years,
You touched us with your friendship,
your concern, and
your smile,
You also touched us with your
aloofness, your silence,
and
your anger,
But we will now know you more,
when you are away.
You have reached a turning point,
Where looking back you would
rather go ahead,
And when looking ahead you wished
you did not have to change.
You are set free today to explore
the freedom,
The unconquerable space of heart,
Unencumbered with any goals,
unmindful of any rewards.
Rejoice, my friends, you have
at last earned your rest.
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