I saw the balloons floating around,
these ghost balloons - little helium, touching the surfaces of all things,
bouncing around, s  l    o      w          l           y


the strings seemed dirty,
somehow glossy from filth


and I wanted to shove them under the hem of my skirt


maybe I could fly
maybe I could float
maybe you’d like to see underneath my skirt


we began to dance around,
floating in each other’s shadow,
taming the balloons
(trying to tame the nonexistent passion)


these ghosts, they seem to smolder our air


make-believe reasons to keep going,
moving,

trying to stimulate the distance between us


I thought about refilling their helium,
making them float again,


when I noticed pinpricks all around your hands


causing the wind to be swept from under
our noses.  




04/18/2007
Posted on 04/18/2007
Copyright © 2025 Ava Blu

Member Comments on this Poem
Posted by Chris Sorrenti on 04/19/07 at 12:20 AM
Ballooon poems are always so profound...so relevant...uniquely impacting in their imagery. This poem is an excellent and worthy addition to the genre. Hat's off to you.  
Posted by Gabriel Ricard on 04/19/07 at 04:51 PM
I like the image. And I love that last line in the first stanza. Nice touch.