Summer’s End
The Nightmare of Drug Addiction
The musical presentation, “Summer’s End: The Nightmare of Drug Addiction,” is a collection of seven poems that came to me after pondering about the subject of drug prevention for several months. I wanted to write a short, persuasive musical presentation using seven of the Wings of Glory songs that could be presented in schools or churches to teach youth the consequences of using tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. One Sunday afternoon, I took a nap after church and had a vivid dream. In my dream, I kept saying to everybody I saw throughout the day, “I am going to write a musical program called Summer’s End!” After repeating those same words to at least twenty people, I woke up. I pondered on this dream until my husband David woke up from his nap and then asked him if the words, “Summer’s End,” meant anything to him. He said they didn’t. When I told him about my dream, he encouraged me to pay attention to this dream because “Summer’s End” might be the musical program I had been wishing I could write.
The next morning after I got the kids off to school, I sat down at the computer, said a quick prayer, and slowly typed the words, “Summer’s End,” to see if any inspiration would come to me. Immediately, words started flowing into my mind. When I finished typing the final poem, tears came to my eyes because I knew that these seven little poems were exactly what I needed for the drug prevention program I had envisioned months before. My dream had given me the title “Summer’s End” and prepared my mind to receive the poems. While writing these poems, I continually reflected on Jonathan’s life. I knew how he would have loved to have a second chance to start his life over again and live free from all addictive substances. But his lasting legacy will be to help others to always avoid tobacco, alcohol, and drugs—the “deceiving thieves”—that are talked about in Summer’s End.
The Cycle of Life
It is Spring.
New birth has arrived.
My birth.
I am new.
I am here.
It is all so real.
I don’t know what’s really happening.
I just know it’s Spring.
When I get through with this season of my life,
I will move on to Summer,
Then on to Fall, and finally on to Winter.
The Cycle of Life they call it.
I’ve been told that
Summer is best.
It’s warm—
School’s out—
I can run free—
I don’t need shoes—
I can be me—
I can stay up late—
I can do whatever I want—
It’s all so wonderful—
I know I’ll never want Summer to end.
But sometimes it ends too soon, I’ve heard.
The Summer of one’s life
Is sometimes cut short—
Cut short by deceiving thieves
Tobacco—
Alcohol—
Drugs—
All addictive thieves
That steal the Summer
Before Summer is
Ready to leave—
Forcing
Summer’s End.
Giving In
What a painful Summer
Wishing to die
Wanting still to live
Dreaming of the days of Spring
Before addictions
Stole my life.
It was over too quickly—
Why did I give in?
Why wasn’t I stronger?
I’d been warned.
Why didn’t I listen?
Why didn’t I listen?
I could have said no.
I could have walked away.
I could have made new friends.
Or could I?
Maybe—maybe not.
I don’t think I really knew how.
So now I get up each day
And face another nightmare.
I go to bed each night
And try to sleep
But instead I lie awake as if it were still day.
There is no escape.
I reach into the depths of my soul
Trying to find relief.
I make promises that
I will change—
Tomorrow.
But my tomorrows never come.
I try searching for the Spring
That I know is there somewhere
That sweet eternal Spring of my birth.
But darkened shadows cloud my view—
Dreading
Summer’s End.
Rationalization
The hardest thing
Is dealing with
My conscience.
If I admit I made a mistake
I feel weak.
So I just rationalize.
Who cares, anyway.
It’s my life.
I don’t have to answer to anyone.
I’m glad I’ve done what I’ve done.
I want to experience
Everything in life.
Family?
They don’t really matter.
Who needs them?
They’re just always criticizing me,
Telling me what to do,
Intruding into my personal space.
School?
I hate school.
Who needs it?
I’ve read stories
Of successful people
Who dropped out of school.
Grown-ups?
They’re just a bunch of hypocrites.
They all preach one thing
And then go out and do another.
No charity
In those hearts.
Why does my head keep pounding?
I like what I’m doing.
It just doesn’t all make sense.
It’s not supposed to be like this—
Regretting
Summer’s End.
Second Chances
I want to remember my Spring
I want to welcome my Fall
I want to embrace my Winter
I want another chance
To live my Summer
Once again.
Is there hope?
Is there someone
Who can still love me?
Is there anyone who can accept me
For who I am
And where I’ve been?
Can I empty my soul
Of all the garbage
I’ve been carrying?
Can I be honest with myself
And with others?
Are there ever second chances?
Where is that place
Inside of me
That I’m afraid
To share with others—
A place so fragile that it might break
If I try to open it up?
But I must open it up
If I don’t want my Summer
To end.
If it stays closed
It will die.
It has to breathe.
I must believe
My Summer is still alive—
Because of my eternal Spring.
I want to live to see my Fall and my Winter—
Enjoying
Summer’s End.
Reflections
In the Spring time of my life
I had a best friend
It was an imaginary friend
Whom I would always talk to
When no one else
Would talk to me.
But my best friend
Went away
When those thieves
Broke in
And now just lonely voices
Echo in my head.
Where is that special friend
Who I need now?
A best friend
That is real—
Not just living
In my imagination any more.
Perhaps if I quit
Feeling sorry for myself
And reached out
To those around me
Who are also looking for a friend
I would find one.
Maybe there are some
Good people out there
Who don’t smoke or drink or do drugs—
Who just enjoy life—
And know how to have fun—
Without getting high.
It’s not easy to find a good friend.
It takes time and energy.
It takes commitment.
But it’s worth it—
Prolonging
Summer’s End.
Looking Forward
I rejected my family years ago.
They rejected me.
I told them things
I’ve regretted.
Perhaps they’re feeling sorry, too.
Families falter.
You put a bunch of people together
And expect them to
Live like “family”—
But what does that mean?
So many different ages.
So many different personalities.
Society cannot exist without family.
Family cannot exist without society.
You stumble.
You fall.
You get up and try again—
And again—and again—and again.
If you can put family
Back together,
You can put society
Back together—
Like a puzzle—
One piece at a time.
It’s not easy to say I’m sorry.
It’s not easy to say forgive me.
It’s not easy to say I made a mistake.
It’s not easy to say I was wrong.
It’s not easy to say I really do care.
It’s not easy to say I love you.
It’s difficult to be a family.
It’s more difficult to not be one.
Loyalty. Helpfulness. Forgiveness.
It’s all part of the puzzle—
Reversing
Summer’s End.
Renewal
It is Spring.
A rebirth has occurred.
My rebirth.
I am renewed.
I am here.
It is all so real.
I don’t know what’s really happening.
I just know it’s still Spring —thankfully.
When I get through with this season of my life,
I will move on to Summer,
Then on to Fall, and finally on to Winter.
The Cycle of Life they call it.
I’ve been told that Summer is best.
But really it’s not—
Sometimes it’s very hard—
Sometimes it’s very lonely
Sometimes it’s very dangerous—
Because of the thieves.
You make mistakes—
You gain experience—
You learn wisdom.
You teach others
That their Summer will someday end—
But hopefully not too soon.
For the Summer of one’s life
Can be lengthened out through
Strong family relationships and
Uplifting friendships—
Where deceiving thieves
Do not break through and steal.
Live the Cycle of Life joyfully—
Remembering Spring—
Welcoming Fall—
Embracing Winter—
Cherishing
Summer’s End.