A BITTERSWEET BREAKFAST

Before breakfast every morning
his father leads us in a Seal routine
of 25 push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups.
My precocious grandson flies away from me
into a bowl of oatmeal smothered in blueberries.
He enters the world of Sesame Street
while I spoon-feed him mouthful
after mouthful of oatmeal
as he swallows his chocolate milk.
I’m buried alive in oatmeal,
and struggle to keep afloat,
in an ocean of chocolate milk,
hoping to be saved by this child
who was born with a smile on his face.
His pre-school teacher reports
he protected classmates
from a bully in the playground
by using black tiger claw kung fu.
My eyes fill with tears as I realize
I won’t be around to see what he does
with his one and only life.
When I get ready to leave this world
I hope he keep me smiling
as I prepare to leave the scene.