Sonnet in the Bathtub

In the bathtub, my son asks, “What are we

Doing tomorr-wow?”  We are going to wake,

have breakfast, practice piano,

read from The Hobbit, and exercise.

“Dad, what happened on Nov-wember twenty-shicht?”

I don’t remember dates like you do

Jimmy. Tell me what happened then.

“Dat ish de day dat Aunt Rose died,” he says.

He lets out his high laugh and slaps the sides

Of his face. One of his eyes wanders left

While the other looks straight ahead.

A father must not outlive his son.

Hopefully, he will tell someone my death date.