"The Summer Magic": A Prose Poem by Paul Angel Perdomo

“Summertime is always the best of what might be.” - Charles Bowden 

It is finally that time of year again. After walking through the crisp autumn air filling up our

lungs and watching colorful leaves blanket the ground, we endure the biting cold while celebrating the holidays with our friends and loved ones. Then comes the melting ice, slushies of ice on the streets and sidewalks, and the fresh plants slowly beginning to grow as Mother Nature plays around with the thermostat. This marks the start of the magical three months of summer. 

As children, we would fooled around and live without a care in the world, wanting to play until we were worn out and never wanting the day to end. As teenagers, we dealt with new emotions and discovered new experiences life threw at us before stepping into adulthood. Now, as adults, we work tirelessly in order to keep a roof over our heads, finding jobs we can either love or tolerate as long as the pay is decent, striving to get good grades, and making sure our wallets don’t stay empty. 

Going to the beach is always a fun treat. A stroll in the park or walking along at the boardwalk brings peace in our mind and a sense of adventure. BBQ cookouts remind us to cherish the little things, and hanging out with friends helps us escape the everyday stress. Watching a movie in the summer-whether at home, in a theater, or at a local drive-in(if you’re lucky) can spark nostalgia for a time when life was simple and movies were meant for entertainment. Classic films like American Graffiti, Jaws, Up In Smoke, Grease, Friday The 13th, Indiana Jones, Sleepaway Camp, The Goonies, The Lost Boys, A Goofy Movie, American Pie, and Surf’s Up come to mind. 

Not to mention the joy of music: The Beatles sings about the sun coming out, The Kinks detailing a sunny afternoon, Alice Cooper telling us that school is out, The Go-Go's celebrate vacation, Bananarama telling us it’s a cruel summer, Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff detailed the joy of summertime, and Childish Gambino would calmly walk down the neighborhood passing by old and new references while making it feel like summer. 

No matter when you were born, the summer months each represent a part of the weekend: June is Friday, July is Saturday, and August is Sunday. 

Summer provides a brief period to unwind and relax before returning to the demands of the real world. No matter what crazy experiences you encounter in life, those three months embody the magic of summer.