Grief
Once pain blew me up
into a swollen balloon,
I tried to avoid all
points & pricks &
sharp tongues.
But they cut
unexpected.
Like when my friend—
a songwriter
whose brother
killed himself—
warned me,
don’t say anything
depressing.
I squealed into the ether,
then disappeared.
Maybe you saw me
on the sidewalk—
busted blue rubber
with a ribbon tail.
Plastered to the concrete
by foot traffic.
Waiting for the next big rain
to wash what’s left away.
9 thoughts on "Grief"
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I like how faithful you are to the balloon metaphor but having it at the beginning and the end. I like how you avoid cliches. You could have said something more ordinary like I wept like a baby or some other common phrase but instead you said, “I squealed into the ether.” Well done!
Whoops, a typo. In the first sentence I meant by not but. I wish I knew how to make corrections!
The extended balloon imagery really works to describe grief. That line “squealed into the ether” is perfect.
Agree with Linda and Karen on a brilliant carry through of the extended balloon energy.
I squealed into the ether,
then disappeared.
The balloon image is well done and memorable. Great poem, Roberta!
What an original image for grief
Ditto all the comments; “I squealed into the ether,
then disappeared” says it all for me!+
I can feel the last four lines. Well done!
I agree with lots of other comments.
Your line breaks are wonderful.