The Prodigal Son

Luke 15: 11-32

A certain man, he had two sons

And when the boys were grown,

The younger of the two had hopes

To set out on his own.

And to the plea of the younger son

At the request of all of his bidding,

He gathered all, and set out on his own

With one half of his father's living.

And finding himself to live free as he chose

With the portion that he had been graced,

He indulged in the finer things of the world

Until all of his half he did waste.

And when a great famine arose in the land

The son found himself in great need,

And was hired to work in a countryman's field

His swine to care for and feed.

Inclined to feed alongside the swine

The son finally came to himself,

And remembered at home there were servants who ate

On the bread of his father's wealth.

Ashamed to return back home as a son

He repented and went away fervent,

Hoping that somehow he might find a place

In the home of his birth, as a servant.

Approaching his home, he was seen from afar

And his father did hastily run,

And fell on his neck and in loving embrace

Held on tight to his wayward son.

"A robe and a ring, and only the finest."

The father commanded he wear,

"And prepare forth a feast to come merry make

At the cause of this joyous affair.

For my son who was dead, once again is alive

He was lost - but he's not anymore,

And now I am his father again, and he too

Is my son just as he was before."

Now this certain man, of his sons he had two

And the elder who stayed back at home,

Was bewildered by all of the merry rejoicing

When he had not gone off to roam.

"Never once hath you caused over me to rejoice

I've always been faithful and true."

And the father with love reminded the elder

"AlI I hath will be given to you-

Of your steady faith, the angels take note

And in Heaven that faith will resound,

And likewise the angels also rejoice

That one who was wayward is found!"

© 2025 Julianne Young