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This poem first appeared in CALYX, and can be found in the chapbook Junkie Boy ~ A MotherWork by Linnea Wortham Harper (Finishing Line Press) at https://finishinglinepress.com/product/junkie-boy-a-motherwork-by-linnea-wortham-harper/
Linnea Harper writes poems on the Oregon coast, where the climate is friendly and the dress code is Wear Something. When her first child, now 48, left home at 15 in search of more freedom and better drugs, Harper reluctantly joined the millions of other mothers and families who struggle to make peace with themselves and the children who choose “freedom” over family, but find that their choices ultimately trap them in sordid lives and chemical cravings they cannot escape. Avoiding shame, blame, wallowing, and easy answers, Harper’s poems can open hearts, stir feelings, and start conversations.
The Paddock Review 