John, you were young and free,
Fearlessly you fought when you did not agree.
You were reckless to a fault,
Had your knowledge come to a halt?

Drink you did, all night and day,
Oh wow you just throw your life away.
Took the drugs that seem to ease the pain,
My goodness were you that insane?

Years passed by when it finally appeared,
The day that we had all feared.
In a hospital bed, your heart barely beating,
The room is filled with all this weeping.

Oh why did you do those things?
Surely you knew that they would make your life fly on wings.
You won’t be able to be at my graduation;
Surely this is a real devastation.

John, did you really have to go through all that pain?
Please say God did not chasten you in vain.
It was no small miracle when you came out of that hospital,
For those nights of drugs and drinking seemed to cost it all.
I’m glad to see you praise the God who is merciful.
Evidently you are not ungrateful to the God who is always wonderful.