The Prodigal Son

A story
First told a long time ago
About a Mother’s favourite Son
And how she had to let him go
Though her heart was breaking
Because she loved him so

From an early age
She could clearly see
He was the black sheep
In the family
Restless, hanging round                             
Who could never settle down
And was never happy
In the confines of the town

Then came the bleak dismay
When on that dismal day
He simply packed a bag
And sadly, kissed her hand
He said he had to be
Footloose and fancy free
‘I have the whole wide World to see
Can’t you see’

(brief instrumental)

And so, he walked away
Wasn’t seen again, from that day
Whatever had become
Of her Prodigal Son
A bird flying free, forever flying free
Is he ever coming home?
Coming home to me, back to me
The bosom of the family   

Wherever he might be
Does he ever think of me?
And she prayed to the Power of One
Prayed for the Soul
Of her long, lost Prodigal Son

(Brief instrumental)

And as the years slipped by
A resentment had begun
The brothers could not understand
Why he was the favoured one
He would not stay and unlike us                         
He was not the dutiful one
And so, they failed to see
He would always be her Prodigal Son

A Prodigal Son, the cherished one.

Rodd Sherwin
to a composition by
Jeremy Williams