University of Maine Poem

From Alma Mater Vol. 2: The Northeast
Available Now for only 99 cents!
(Link Provided at End of Piece)

*UMaine*

All year round the Black Bears claw through the East Outlet of
waterways waving out to a free flow of
fresh lobsters, land-locked salmon, and native trout
from the brooks. Hiking the forested coastlines through scented tassels,
We are elevated by the free breeze that we travel without airfare.
On the Maine land, Bears are inclined to wander pines and whitewater raft the many streams
during three seasons up until winter…
When the Bears come out
Full Force
like a catch from the pond—
to the on-campus site
we are
All Fond.

Like Stephen King,
Maine is where we make our Stand,
And what better place than the
Alfond stands?
Grandstanding with the Screamin’
Black Bears Pep Band,
This place fills like a stein
and we toast in kind.
We drink to our banners
held near and dear,
The Maine-iaks are like Sharp’s—
They’re always
Near Beer.
In the ’01 finals
We all were near tears,
R.I.P. Shawn Walsh,
Take with you our cheers.

Shawn raised us from the ground up—
Up to the hanging
of five Hockey East Banners and two national titles:

The ’93 Bears who bordered perfection
And in ’99…
When Wildcats felt the deflection.
Wildcats make claims about what they do,
Well,
We’ve got two,
How about you?

This is a Border War where
even when they strike back, they still don’t even the score…
Because even though they shout out that we suck,
Like our goalie on guard at the net:

We don’t give a flying puck.

What we give is Kariya, Pellerin—
Great Names,
When ‘Cats enter Alfond
We give
Great Pain,
Fill the stein and drink
To ol’
Great Maine,
Here come the Black Bears
straight
down the lane.

Headed to the bars
on to score,
through the lips of fate
we drink some more,
Taking in

Parties, Trees, Hockey, and
Scenery—
Maine we will drink these days away,
and not a drop from these days will
wash away.