Prodigals

You’ve heard
The Story,
even if You’re not
a Righteous Reader of
Holy Writ.


The Errant
Disrespectful,
Selfish Son
Who Strong-arms
His Father to
Purloin a Share
of The Family Jewels
by Abusing His
Birthright.

Then creeps Home
to Beg a corner
in the Barn,
to Sleep and Cower,
after Losing
the Jewels
in Faraway Flings.

To which
His Father grins
as wide as His Arms
stretch to Welcome
His Boy

to a Celebration
in which the Neighborhood
will Feast in Joy
at His Return.

I imagined my own Version
of this Parable of
Unconditional Adoration,

wherein Grandma offers
Her Cherubic Grandson
a Bowl of Chocolate Ice Cream,
served in a Bowl
given to Granny by
Her own Grandma.

But Little One
grabs the Bowl and
drops It,
Shattering The Heirloom
in His Eagerness to
Add More Scoops.

Grandma Smiles and
Scoops Him Up,
pulls Him Cheek-to-Cheek.

“No Tears
My Cherished Chickadee,

there are Plenty More
Where That Came From.”

(Photo by Jordan Whitt; UnSplash)