He sees his son about to shoot
And takes the gun from his hands
Placing it gently on the ground
He inhales a deep breathe looking around

The father places a hand on his boy’s shoulder
And looks him in the eye
He adjusts his glasses remembering the last time he cried
Wishing the boy’s mother was by his side

“Son,” he pauses gathering his thoughts
“Look there”
He points towards the sky
At a blue jay floating by

“Blue jays you can kill, kill them all you would like.
But see the mocking bird
So frail and thin
To kill a mocking bird is a sin.”

“Why?” The young boy questions
Looking at his father
He is young and confused
Unable to see that the mocking bird is being used

“You see my son,
The mocking bird is different
Than the blue jay
It doesn’t need to get its way”

“But father, they both fly the same.”
“Yes they do son.” The father turns away
Leaving a confused look on his boy’s face
The boy doesn’t understand the difference between innocence and grace