From Afar
Headed for home on a greyhound bus
With four years of freedom behind me
Back to the homestead where my father ruled
Trepidation for what I know will be
Rules I never followed before I went away
Curfews lay broken at the door
Constant yelling and degrading remarks he made
Nicknamed stupid, lazy and whore
The bus pulls to the station where I’ll hop a train
My eyes tear as I gather up my bags
Through the turnstile to the ladies room in time
I’m crying as I light up a ***
I take a nip out and drink it down fast
I think there must be some other place
The situations desperate-, me returning home
It’s gonna be a slap in the face
A second nip I took just to help me think
If he would give me $200 that would work
I would leave his home just like that
And a cheap car so I could get to work
Remember daddy how I always drove you insane
Trust me I haven’t at all changed
I like to stay out late and sleep all day
That will make him come unhinged
I caught the train home relieved I wasn’t going to stay
In two weeks time he lost his mind
I made my proposal to him the following day
Mother said he went off for a car to find
As I drove away with money in hand
And driving my old beat up car
I hollered out the window “I love you”
And whispered “only from afar”
Copyright © Christine Costello | Year Posted 2014
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