Test Drive

On the drive home from my father’s biopsy,
when I asked him about the pain,

he bucked up and smiled
the kind of smile a used car salesman flashes

when your offer is too low or you refuse
the additional service warranty,

which gave me a good idea of what to expect
when it’s my turn to take the wheel.

These days I’m test-driving my father’s cancer
just as I test-drive all the cars he buys

knowing that somewhere down the road
he will pass them on to me.

And like every car he has given me before,
I will eventually drive this one straight into the ground.

Kip Knott | Directions
Contents | Mudlark No. 50 (2013)