The Prodigal Daughter Returns

[karrie]

On the morning after
I got falling down drunk
I packed up my hangover
along with 18 years of accumulated stuff
and threw them in
the backseat of my car

My mother
refused to help me carry
my newly discovered independence
she avoided me like the plague

My father
ignored me as if I were an annoyance
looked me once in the eyes
and then turned to stone

My sister
had better things to do
than to watch the shattering
of the not so perfect family

My brother
wanted to go with me
he could help me find my dreams
or he could find his while I found myself

A great adventure we would have
but I was a lone wolf

So I set out
towards the Dallas skyline
followed roads that took me far away
and I ended up in the middle of a desert

Homesick for 16 years
a sickness that I couldn't shake
so I packed my great big plans and dried up dreams
wiped my tears and smiled up at the sun

and followed the road until it took me back home
a home that I no longer recognized

[Dew]

really a heavy impact...such a long journey packed into this short write. I enjoyed the way you described packing...'packed my hangover' and 'refused to help me carry my independence'...those imparted a powerful sense of 'baggage' for me. All the emotional stuff we accumulate that weighs us down and our unwillingness to help one another. Maybe all that stuff needed to be driven 100 miles away and parked so it couldn't weigh you anymore. Truly, a lovely write karrie. So good to see you around! - dew

[dvtcpwp]

I could feel each beat of the sadness of your words. As it so happens in so many lives, you can never really go home. Life brings changes, yet yesterday always seems the same. Very intense, truthful write, P

[ladymaybebaby]

Karrie,

I love the title! It almost seems ironic after you read the poem itself. You return to a home that you no longer recognize I think from being away and tasting your freedom. You take your reader on the journey with you through rich images, beautiful phrasing, and you seem to let us peek into you life for a moment... I truly love poetry like this, thanks for taking us on the ride! So very well done, as always! Congratulations on the spotlight, it is well deserved!

-R
xoxo

[moe]

Been there done that --- not once but twice in my life once from the childhood home and once from the adult one... it's scary to say the least but kinda fun too. Your poem brought memories flooding back!

[LorettaYoung]

Congratulations; wonderfully exposed angst of personal and family dynamics; you give breath to all of our lost journeys, and lingering pain of loss. Loretta

[Josie]

The poem rang with truth about human relationships and life itself. One of the big truths was Narrator admitting to being a lone wolf. I am certain the other family members would have been more helpful to her, but were probably use to being rebuffed and knew they had to let her go, gain independence, although 16 years is a long time. The other major truth was that once you leave, you can never go back to being a little girl. Time changes all of us. Loved it!

[wayne69r]

Such a complete correlation to my life it's unbelievable to me brought memories back to life that i long ago had forgotten best of luck

[SirDaniel]

I wish our family would support us in everything we do, and they may claim they do but reality says more than not we are by ourselves and the risks we take are ours alone.. this poem touched my heart, it spoke of a daughter who was ready to make her own place in the world, yet this also means she did it by herself, a family to busy to be part of it. Congratulations on your spotlight, I totally agree with it being selected.

~ Daniel

[karrie]

Thank you all so much!

[everhopeful]

This is a really bittersweet piece; much like dew, I was drawn to the opening and the delightful phrasing of packing up your hangover, it was a cool way to phrase it and suggested the hangover was symbolic of the speaker's maturity. Even though we get the impression the speaker really needed to make this journey, it's saddening to think of her being homesick for so long that when she eventually returns, it's not home anymore.
A touching piece of poetry, congratulations on the spotlight!