JANE

You’re holding the envelope — you know what’s inside
A letter from her . . . well, no need to hide
You’re covered on this one — you’ve given this year . . .
Go ahead, open it — the coast is quite clear
You open the envelope, and there, sure enough:
A letter from Jane . . . a brochure . . . other stuff
You start with the letter . . . and right from the start
She’s connected to some inner place in your heart
You’re reading the words and you’re feeling her touch —
There’s the light and the love that you value so much
A form letter, sure — but she’s talking to you
She had you in mind as she wrote the thing through
Her energy bubbles — it’s warm and it’s good
You’re feeling the way that you knew that you would
You lift the brochure that came with the letter
You start paging through it — and feel even better
Quotes from the students, the faculty, staff
Your heart is now flowing — you notice, and laugh
Thank you, they’re saying, for your contribution,
For all your support to this great institution
“Here’s what’s important,” you think as you read.
“This is what counts . . . here is the need.”
You look at the graphs of the budget report
“This,” you think, “this is what needs my support.”
You sit there and read — and you’re scarcely aware
Your hand’s in your pocket . . . something’s in there
You pick up her letter again to review
She thanks you for all you continue to do
“She’s thanking me?” you think. “I’ve given . . . it’s true.
But Jane — she’s the hero. What more can I do?”
You look and discover, right there in your hand —
Your checkbook . . . “Ah, yes,” you think, “just as I planned.”
And feeling some blessing you’ve barely defined
The next thing you know, your name has been signed
One thousand dollars — you’re feeling quite free
“She’ll use it,” you’re thinking, “far better than me.”
You mail it off . . . and you’re feeling so good
You’re feeling the way that you knew that you would. . . .
A couple weeks later the telephone rings
“Hi, how’re you doing — it’s  Jane,” the voice sings
“Jane!” you say, “Wow! Doing fine . . . and you too?”
“Better than ever,” she says, “thanks to you.”
Again there’s that bubbling warmth in your soul
And, with some effort, you muster control
“Jane, can you hold for a second?” you say
You pull out your checkbook — and lock it away.

There’s a Yellow Rose in Texas — so goes the song
But that rose moved to Iowa — and she’s going strong!
Our Yellow Rose in Iowa has blossomed and bloomed
Since she’s transplanted, our fortune has zoomed
(And if she’s a rose, you don’t need a map
To see that she’s really just . . . colorless sap.)

Drilling for oil
Now Jane can be brassy, and Jane can be bold
But can you envision Jane drilling black gold?
A job for Maharishi, believe it or not
And Jane was on top of it, right on the spot
Sweet Lady Jane — she was hardly demure
Though the roughnecks attempted clean language for her
Her job: to discover an oil supply
But they’d drilled and they’d drilled — and the well was still dry
They’d gone down as far as the specs would allow
Jane anguished, then asked, “What to do now?”
The answer: “Go deeper” — drill deeper below
But the roughnecks now feared that the whole thing could blow
Now none of them dared to climb on that rig
But Jane — she’d been schooled in how to think big
The roughnecks stood back, beads of sweat on their faces
Watching this dame in this hardest of places
She climbed up the rig — she’d learned the controls
The roughnecks watched, worrying, blessing their souls
She sent that drill deeper than it had any right
To depths that were millions of years out of sight
She sent that drill down to a depth so tremendous,
Where the heat was stupendous, the pressure horrendous
The roughnecks just stood there, in grime-covered awe
Still disbelieving this woman they saw
She drove that drill deeper — then stopped, by and by
She’d drilled and she’d drilled — and the well was still dry. . . .
There was no glory in which to be basked —
But she’d come open-hearted and done what was asked
And that’s all that matters . . . and the lesson was learned
And a gift truly golden was given and returned

The money Jane raises
The money Jane raises buys classroom TVs,
Security’s keys, green peas and cream cheese
The money Jane raises buys ink for degrees,
Pruning for trees, and such things as these

The money Jane raises brings salt to our shakers,
Yeast to our bakers, care to our acres
The money Jane raises links buildings with cable,
Keeps food on the table, keeps copiers able

The money Jane raises puts stipends in pockets,
Oil in sprockets, power in sockets
The money Jane raises puts cereal in bowls,
Coldpatch in holes, lights up on poles

The money Jane raises gets computers debugged
Drainpipes unplugged, foam mattresses lugged
The money Jane raises keeps campus lawns mowed,
Roadways unsnowed, diplomas bestowed

The money Jane raises keeps children well schooled,
Carpenters tooled, our garbage truck fueled
The money Jane raises gets debt service paid,
Carpeting laid, celebration cake made

The money Jane raises oils our squeaks,
Plugs up our leaks, brightens our cheeks
The money Jane raises buys cloth for our banners,
Repair for our scanners —maintains our good manners

The money Jane raises gets food tables wiped,
Messages typed, roads center-striped
So each of us raises a glass, with high praises,
And toasts to dear Jane for the money she raises

With our radiant faces, in each of our places,
We toast to dear Jane for the money she raises
Amid all the fads, all the fashions and crazes,
One thing is steady — the money Jane raises

The thing that supports us through all of our days is
The fulfillment we gain — and the money Jane raises
Year after year — it always amazes
How Jane will come through with the money she raises

And so let us fashion some golden-tinged phrases:
All glory to Jane for the money she raises
Now student tuitions can start our ignitions
For this we can thank all the folks in Admissions
And financial aid helps to keep our bills paid
We thank all those folks for the role that they’ve played
But that’s not enough for the school to run
And for this we need Jane and the Annual Fund
And this is one reason her brilliant light blazes,
Absorbing our gazes — the money Jane raises
We’re honoring Jane for the money she raises
But this is just one of her facets and phases
She’s a knower and actor, achiever, fulfiller . . .
A devoted tread miller — and her giggle’s a killer
Jane’s a non-stopper, an Ideal Shopper
She loves to write checks that fill the School’s hopper
Jane’s a great hostess, a great entertainer
A cosmic campaigner — no force can contain her
She’s a writer, a speaker, a thinker, a planner
For all of these things, we hold up her banner
She’s a Texan, a titan, a Governor supreme
She’s descended to earth to fulfill the earth’s dream
The Capital and Endowment Campaigns
And now . . . her most awesome fundraising campaign
The challenge supreme for Invincible Jane:
To rebuild the campus — rebuild to perfection
She’s made her Samkalpa, she’s set her direction:
A campus resplendent, a campus serene,
A place such as no one could ever have seen
Buildings so perfect they actually provide
For the health and good fortune of the people inside
Buildings so perfect that, without any doubt
They actually keep all disharmony out —
Where students can study, but far more than this:
They awaken pure knowledge and power and bliss
While studying literature, math, or biology
They awaken total knowledge in their own physiology

Sixty million dollars — that’s the campaign —
A job finally worthy of the Power of Jane
Plus an endowment, fifty million . . . it’s plain
The job can’t withstand the Power of Jane
We scarcely can dream what this place will become
As for students, we know: Just build it — they’ll come
We’re forming the plans and we’re forming the teams
Transforming this town to Fairfield of Dreams

We’re all gathered here at this lovely Jane station
Her point of departure . . . our destination
She moves toward a goal, and everyone’s caught
Swept up behind in her great juggernaut
Whatever the goal that we wish to obtain
We always remember: No Jane, no gain.

And now she’s retiring, to focus on bliss —
And will gain all the more with this emphasis
With an inward direction, letting outer work go
She’ll fulfill our desires more than ever, we know
And now, as we join to appreciate Jane,
We say in all gratitude, “Long may she reign.”

August 28, 1998

Jane Is From Texas

Jane is from Texas — what more need we say?
She was born thinking big — she happened way.
As a member-for-life of the think-big elite
It was natural that Jane and Maharishi would meet
He alone thinks on a scale so grand
That Jane’s own big thinking had room to expand.
In the Movement Jane’s had a dozen careers:
She mothered the Movement in Texas for years
She traveled with Maharishi, initiated spacemen,
Built the Houston Capital and had a fine place then.

She came here to visit — a week, maybe two,
And naturally looked for some small thing to do.
A Grandparents Weekend gave Jane her start:
The School used her help — and captured her heart.
She decided to stay, and the outlook looked sunny,
Especially when she got focused on money.
The Capital in Houston had hoped she’d remain
But her departure turned into our capital gain.

Some call it finances . . . funds . . . or support —
Whatever you call it, Jane captures the fort.
Folks only jump on an in-motion train
If anyone gets folks to jump, well, it’s Jane.
She’ll reach you by phone or by personal letter,
She’ll pay you a visit — whatever works better.
The “Fantasy Raffle” was misnamed, it’s clear:
Jane doesn’t fantasize — she desires, and it’s here.

The Trustees took note of the great things she’d done
And put her in charge of the Annual Fund.
In the School that she’s built, in achieving its goals,
She’s helping to raise every child who enrolls.
She’s helping to raise every child on earth
To enlightenment, the status that comes with their birth.
Devotion, dedication, determination, and drive —
She deserves as much praise as any person alive.
This school is already the brightest of lights —
It’s lifted this place to the highest of heights.
Her train’s pulling out, the whole world’s on board,
The next stop is Heaven, our highest reward.
What a fortune to live on this beautiful plain,
Ever surrounded by amber waves of Jane.
For all that she does, and in such a grand style,
We say: Every Hopson is our cosmic smile.
And now, as we join to appreciate Jane,
We say in all gratitude, “Long may she reign.”

August 28, 1989