“She wrote me a letter and she wrote it so kind, She put down in writing what was in her mind”
Dear John,
You brought your performance of “Dirt” to my high scool today, West Morris Central. Not only did I find your performance hilarious, but I found it equally moving. I do not know or have ever known anyone with a serious drug addiction, for which I am very thankful. While I have never personally experienced this, I understand the severity of the drug problems in America and I’ve seen the statistics of those lost on a daily basis. To lose a friend or family member to drugs is a pain I can’t even imagine. Though I couldn’t really relate to these drug issues, I could easily relate to the pain of your characters. You portrayed pain with such a beauty in their struggles, that I was not only moved, but inspired. I wrote a poem for the way your show moved me.
It’s not just the war we’re fighting
over land and over sea,
it’s the war we’re fighting here
to find who we want to be.
Where there’s drugs up on the front lines
attacking those who get too close,
and here death’s not by gunshots
but what kills is overdose.
The drugs these brilliant soldiers take
to numb the searing pain
are the armies of a killer
that cannot be restrained.
And broken here we stand among
the lines we cannot cross
and though they say we’re fighting it,
each day brings more loss.
There’s pain in every corner
and there’s fear in every heart,
we try so hard to battle it
but this war’s tearing us apart.
It stings us and it burns us
and it brings us to our knees,
if only we could conquer it
and make the aching cease.
But the soldiers on the front lines
that battle these addictions
are bruised and battered fighters,
and in them we find the victims.
We find among these victims
some have lost the will to fight,
they surrender to the enemies
to end their pain tonight.
We will for them to hold out
and pray they’ll struggle on,
for it’s no good to give up now
after fighting for so long.
We will fight for justice
and we’ll rally to find peace;
We’ll riot for the soldiers
until we find them a release.
We’ll end their pain and suffering
for it’s worth fighting for,
because every day’s a battle
in this never ending war.
Thank you for the inspiration.
S.
