Today at
work your Dad got a letter from you,
But when
he saw the letter he didn’t know what to
do.
The return address from an Oregon
Correctional Facility,
Right there up in the
left corner very plain to see.
Inside a
handbook for the Oregon Department of
Corrections.
Printed on eight long pages with
all of the directions.
A note written on the
front, a message short and very blunt.
The
note didn’t start out, “Hi, Mom and
Dad.”
And coming from our son it made us
both very sad.
No reason given for why you
were locked behind a gate,
For this
information we would both have to wait.
Your
Dad came home that day your letter in his
hand.
His shoulders completely slumped, he
didn’t have a plan.
Your Dad reluctantly
handed your letter to me,
Knowing it was
something he didn’t want me to see.
The
shock, the total disbelief, how do I
explain,
What are we to do, how were we to
deal with this pain.
I looked at the pages
completely numb when I was through,
How could
something like this have happened to you?
You
were in trouble once again,
This time though
sentenced to the Oregon State Pen.
You had
punched another man in the face,
The police
didn’t know it but they were in for a
race.
They chased after you with several
police cars in pursuit,
Even tried putting
down tack strips and used a K-9 to boot.
You
were taken into custody, although against your
will,
God had to be watching over you it
amazes me still.
You had been drinking that
day and doing lots of drugs,
And recently
hanging out with all kinds of thugs.
These
drugs of yours which meant so much,
You know
the ones that helped you get out of
touch.
“Did they really help you, did you
really get away?”
“Or didn’t you realize the
price you would have to pay?”
Thank God, you
were in such terrible shape that day,
No need
for an ambulance or hearse to take you
away.
You tell us now you finally realize
what you have done,
You say you’re going to
change, the drugs haven’t won.
We want so
much to believe you, Son, we really do,
Do
you have any idea as your parents what we went
through?
Please, for your children and
yourself turn your life around,
Because
believe it or not true happiness still can be
found.
We would like to know when our time
here on earth is done,
That we tried
everything we could think of to help our
son.
You must know we don’t care what you say
or do,
Son, your Dad and I will never stop
loving you.
©
Brenda Sparkman
January 2004
Midi Playing:
"Solitude" ©
Margi Harrell
Graphic Set by Designer Lady
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