A Balloon's Tale
One day at the fair I was floating with my friends
All of different colors, with strings tied to our ends
We’d bump and we would squeak whenever wind came by
And as we moved we caught the gaze of passing children’s eyes
One boy stopped and stared, his eyes reflecting colors
Of all us bright balloons, drifting with each other
His mother stopped and saw her child, enchanted as he stood
She asked which one he wanted and he thought as hard he could
“The blue one” squealed the boy, without containing glee
I was at once delighted as he pointed straight at me
Untied and then set loose from my brothers in the air
I said goodbye to fellow balloons and left them floating there
But don’t be sad I left my kin, it’s really quite all right
Balloons were made for children’s hands for laughter and delight
I followed Boy throughout the hours, watching all his play
He carried me and cuddled me all throughout the day
My string was tied onto his arm so I would not run loose
A gentle hugging, grasping from my simple little noose
We came back to his home, when the sun was setting low
Out of breath and tired out, though he wouldn’t let it show
My string was cut and I fell up, straight into the ceiling
With dust and cobwebs hung in corners, there with paint a-peeling
Throughout the night I waited for my newest, greatest friend
But through the night, unknown to me, I started to descend
In the morning Boy woke up, his resting now complete
But smiles turned to sobbing, when he found me at his feet
Robbed was I of flying; of soaring with the wind
The air no longer was my home, to earth I now was pinned
He kicked and played with me, for but a fraction more
Then moved on to another toy. I waited on the floor
My life with Boy was ever short, but filled with utter joy
Such a glorious day we had, together, me and Boy
Life is short as what I am, but never one regret
For giving joy to one little boy is a life I shan’t forget
(From In The Sandbox: Poetry for the Child at Heart)
All of different colors, with strings tied to our ends
We’d bump and we would squeak whenever wind came by
And as we moved we caught the gaze of passing children’s eyes
One boy stopped and stared, his eyes reflecting colors
Of all us bright balloons, drifting with each other
His mother stopped and saw her child, enchanted as he stood
She asked which one he wanted and he thought as hard he could
“The blue one” squealed the boy, without containing glee
I was at once delighted as he pointed straight at me
Untied and then set loose from my brothers in the air
I said goodbye to fellow balloons and left them floating there
But don’t be sad I left my kin, it’s really quite all right
Balloons were made for children’s hands for laughter and delight
I followed Boy throughout the hours, watching all his play
He carried me and cuddled me all throughout the day
My string was tied onto his arm so I would not run loose
A gentle hugging, grasping from my simple little noose
We came back to his home, when the sun was setting low
Out of breath and tired out, though he wouldn’t let it show
My string was cut and I fell up, straight into the ceiling
With dust and cobwebs hung in corners, there with paint a-peeling
Throughout the night I waited for my newest, greatest friend
But through the night, unknown to me, I started to descend
In the morning Boy woke up, his resting now complete
But smiles turned to sobbing, when he found me at his feet
Robbed was I of flying; of soaring with the wind
The air no longer was my home, to earth I now was pinned
He kicked and played with me, for but a fraction more
Then moved on to another toy. I waited on the floor
My life with Boy was ever short, but filled with utter joy
Such a glorious day we had, together, me and Boy
Life is short as what I am, but never one regret
For giving joy to one little boy is a life I shan’t forget
(From In The Sandbox: Poetry for the Child at Heart)