Groundbreaking

A poem about groundbreaking for a new wing at our UU Fellowship. Tomorrow I'll follow up with a poem about the finished wing's dedication. Poems try to capture more than just information, beyond the obvious to reflect the spirit of the occasion. See how I did.
Groundbreaking 

Similar, so very similar to life itself :
Conception, incubation, birth, growth.

Conceived an image while imagination
Draws desire onto paper as designed.
Set to scale and it is fully measured,
Analyzed, appraised, approved, signed.
Now lines traced upon this solemn soil
By official seal legally it is enshrined.

Structure out of Earth's own womb :
From footers rise strong foundations
To rest walls and roof for each room;
Every design angle, every drawn square;
Each are leveled, each carefully plumbed;
All lovingly embraced with special care.

To you young and bright imagining minds
Who'll grace these newly built walls within,
Your charge : learn, grow up, then move out,
Eliminate man made shackles, like original sin.

Today-on this day-we dedicate in formal mode
The machinery moved and modeled farm ground;
We will leave a strong structure soon to come
So yet unborn- may "It"-upon arriving be found.

Ronald C. Downie

Groundbreaking 4/13/97 for new classroom wing