Congratulations!
 Today is your day.
 You're off to Great Places!
 You're off and away!
  
 You have brains in your head.
 You have feet in your shoes.
 You can steer yourself 
 any direction you choose.
 You're on your own. And you know what you know.
 And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.
  
 You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
 About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
 With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, 
 you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
  
 And you may not find any
 you'll want to go down.
 In that case, of course,
 you'll head straight out of town.
  
 It's opener there
 in the wide open air.
  
 Out there things can happen
 and frequently do
 to people as brainy
 and footsy as you.
  
 And then things start to happen,
 don't worry. Don't stew.
 Just go right along.
 You'll start happening too.
  
 OH!
 THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!
  
 You'll be on y our way up!
 You'll be seeing great sights!
 You'll join the high fliers
 who soar to high heights.
  
 You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
 You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
 Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best.
 Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
  
 Except when you don't.
 Because, sometimes, you won't.
  
 I'm sorry to say so
 but, sadly, it's true
 that Bang-ups
 and Hang-ups
 can happen to you.
  
 You can get all hung up
 in a prickle-ly perch.
 And your gang will fly on.
 You'll be left in a Lurch.
  
 You'll come down from the Lurch
 with an unpleasant bump.
 And the chances are, then,
 that you'll be in a Slump.
  
 And when you're in a Slump,
 you're not in for much fun.
 Un-slumping yourself
 is not easily done.
  
 You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
 Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.
 A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
 Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
 How much can you lose? How much can you win?
  
 And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...
 or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
 Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
 Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,
 for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
  
 You can get so confused
 that you'll start in to race
 down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
 and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,
 headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
 The Waiting Place...
  
 ...for people just waiting.
 Waiting for a train to go
 or a bus to come, or a plane to go
 or the mail to come, or the rain to go
 or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
 or the waiting around for a Yes or No
 or waiting for their hair to grow.
 Everyone is just waiting.
  
 Waiting for the fish to bite
 or waiting for the wind to fly a kite
 or waiting around for Friday night
 or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
 or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
 or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
 or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
 Everyone is just waiting.
  
 NO!
 That's not for you!
  
 Somehow you'll escape
 all that waiting and staying
 You'll find the bright places
 where Boom Bands are playing.
  
 With banner flip-flapping,
 once more you'll ride high!
 Ready for anything under the sky.
 Ready because you're that kind of a guy!
  
 Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
 There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.
 And the magical things you can do with that ball
 will make you the winning-est winner of all.
 Fame! You'll be as famous as famous can be,
 with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.
  
 Except when they don't
 Because, sometimes they won't.
  
 I'm afraid that some times
 you'll play lonely games too.
 Games you can't win
 'cause you'll play against you.
  
 All Alone!
 Whether you like it or not,
 Alone will be something
 you'll be quite a lot.
  
 And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
 you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
 There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
 that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.
  
 But on you will go
 though the weather be foul.
 On you will go
 though your enemies prowl.
 On you will go
 though the Hakken-Kraks howl.
 Onward up many
 a frightening creek,
 though your arms may get sore
 and your sneakers may leak.
  
 On and on you will hike,
 And I know you'll hike far
 and face up to your problems
 whatever they are.
  
 You'll get mixed up, of course,
 as you already know.
 You'll get mixed up 
 with many strange birds as you go.
 So be sure when you step.
 Step with care and great tact
 and remember that Life's 
 a Great Balancing Act.
 Just never foget to be dexterous and deft.
 And never mix up your right foot with your left.
  
 And will you succeed?
 Yes! You will, indeed!
 (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)
  
 KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
  
 So...
 be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
 or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
 You're off the Great Places!
 Today is your day!
 Your mountain is waiting.
 So...get on your way!