August: Osage County – Adult Child Anonymous

February 25, 2016     / /

Savitha Samu

Ivy Weston is the 2nd daughter of Violet and Beverly Weston. She lives in Osage County, Oklahoma close to her parents house and has been the only daughter to stay close to home despite all the drama that goes on in that family. She was born into a house of dysfunction; with her mother abusing pills and her father being an alcoholic. She is the most empathetic of the 3 Weston daughters and has always prioritized the needs of everyone else over hers. The poem Adult Child Anonymous are her thoughts towards her parents, a monologue almost if you may.

As I tried to get into Ivy’s shoes I could feel her pain, her loss of trust, her loss of love, her unmet needs and I felt it was time her parents’ knew her innermost thoughts. Through this poem I have tried to give a louder voice to an even keel character otherwise lost in the shadows of the demons that lurk in this household.

Adult Child Anonymous

I was born off you
And with you shall I die
The elements making me
Are but a fools reply

A moment of pleasure
Hours of pain
9 months to guess
And 200 to raise

My tiny hands as mature
My nose askew as yours
Seems I blink my eye
Just like my old guy

And then there came a day
When the ooh’s and the aah’s all died away
I had to start school
So you had to work away

I watched you every step of the way
Hidden behind the curtain when you knew not of it anyway
I’m busy, not now you hushed me away
Least knowing you robbed me off a day

Although its not easy I won’t shut my eyes
Till you openly acknowledge my disguise
It was just a silly contest at school you said
But proud was I, that of em all, ahead was I

I know not who’ll stand the challenge of time
But you seem oblivious of your crime
These years are all we have; our prime
Before we are parted by college full time

You can stop the peek-a-boo now I pleaded
Misty eyed, it was just a scary game I conceded
The writing was on the wall
I was in for a great fall

Reality was beginning to sink in
Maybe I no longer remained your pride
Of a long made mistake, I a stark reminder
Of an exit door, I the sole binder

Confused, lost, upset and scared
I always told myself you cared
When my deepest fears; they flared
Even though your actions stayed undeclared

You were the best provider I could’ve ever known
Taking care of your duties not a single groan
I feel like an ungrateful one
But was I truly so easy to shun?

Years have now passed
And age its net cast
I still wait to heal my past
Coz time and tide moves real fast

I tell myself I was no mistake
But there are days that faith does break
Guilt and longing two sides of the see-saw shaft
Wasn’t the game I proposed, when I suggested having a blast

Come watch the trials and tribulations that Ivy Weston goes through in Naatak’s 52nd production: August: Osage County from Feb 20th-28th @ Cubberly Theatre, Palo Alto. Tickets at www.naatak.com.

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