Graduation Cap on Programs Before Dawn

Warm firelight glows against the cool blue of pre-dawn, illuminating a black mortarboard resting atop neatly folded ceremony programs. The scene unfolds on a grassy lawn in Charlotte, where rows of empty folding chairs stand in quiet anticipation under a sky filled with dramatic, rolling clouds. Early spring air settles over the green grass, which shows the first signs of fresh growth. The programs display crisp white pages with printed text, against the matte black of the cap. Shadows stretch long across the ground, cast by the low firelight that highlights the texture of the fabric on the chairs and the smooth surface of the mortarboard. A small flame flickers in the distance, casting dancing shadows that ripple across the folded paper stacks.