I was mowing the front yard
just before nightfall
and out of the corner of my eye
I spied
a red balloon
with just enough helium
to keep it about a foot
off the ground
it's string had been broken
and it looked like it was
escaping something
a gentle wind was blowing it
up my street
and I realized I was wearing
a t-shirt of exactly the same color
and I heard it speak to me
"hey, you in the red t-shirt,
yeah, you.
I just broke free of this
stupid children's party.
Come with me
and let us go where the wind takes us."
It was hovering around my driveway
taunting me in that
annoying way balloons have
"come on, you don't want to sweep
that sidewalk,
you want to run away
and be free
and bounce with me
from adventure to adventure"
the wind kept shifting direction
but the balloon stayed in my driveway
"what, are you just gonna stay here
and sweep up?
What's next, you got a toilet that needs unclogging?
How glamorous!
What's keeping you here?
Let's go and have some fun!"
The balloon danced about the street
sometimes caught in an updraft
pantomiming freedom
with wild abandon
there was a time
when this offer might've
been attractive
but not anymore
"c'mon, man
it'll just be the two of us,
like one of those 'road' pictures,
and you can be Bob Hope
c'mon,
please?"
I shook my head
and smiled
leaning on my broom
he gave a few more
fits and starts
trying to make his offer
more enticing
but no sale.
I turned my back
and resumed my sweeping
and out of the corner of my eye
I saw the wind
carry him on
his bouncy way
and when I finished sweeping
I went inside the house
to be with my beloved family.