The Balloon

round and red ubiquitous orb chained to a string and streamers silver hanging suspended cl ing ing ten uously to the tenement wire stuck in indignity on a broken stoop lost and forsaken unable to rise helium ballasted with weary time no fluttering wind to carry it home its final gasp here tells of happier days fanfare and circumstance an open sky blue and a child's loving hand now bereft and alone. ~ Laurence Overmire (Previously published in New York Minute: An Actor's Memoir, Indelible Mark Publishing,2017)