Owl
my son and i play a game

guess the animal

as I drive him through my stages of grief.
sea creature he says

and I watch redwoods ripping by

in my car
deer, I say

incorrect, be says

lurches back into his car seat
and says why is this happening

why can’t you just

guess

what i’m saying

dad?
and I can’t respond

the curves in the redwoods
are too tight

and my throat is a throttle

of regret 

jaundiced failures

and then

we get to our destination
and I breathe

watch him like a tornado

move back through our miles
as we speak.