Sunday, April 10, 2011

The Balloon, a poem

"Photo courtesy of Lauren Randolph for One Stop Poetry"

The Balloon

A boy smiles, arm upwardly extended
waving goodbye to his friend.
The friend floats out of sight
sailing toward the cotton-ball sky.
Swirling and traveling high above
it finally descends slowly,
gently observing a girl
jumping rope by herself.
Patiently it settles and waits.
Finally noticed and tentatively grasped.
A vibration of happiness
travels down the string's length.
Its job has just begun.
At least she no longer feels alone.

by Margaret Bednar, Art Happens, 4-10-11

This poem is for One Stop Poetry's "One Shoot Sunday".  The guest photographer is Lauren Randolph and her interview is a fun, inspiring read.   I was imagining the balloon as an angel traversing the world helping children who are sad and/or depressed and then moving on when it accomplishes its goal in pursuit of the next child needing help.

Does anyone remember "The Red Balloon"?  I was intrigued by that movie in elementary school and have never forgotten it.  My husband just told me he hated that movie and was forced to watch it year after year in school...  LOL.  Maybe I will Netflix it and offer him a choice between a "chick" flick and "The Red Balloon" next weekend!  :)

Wow, what a busy week.  Guests and my son's high school senior prom.  He and all his friends were so elegant and gorgeous... Such a great group of "kids" :)  Can't believe my firstborn will be in college.  Wow... 

9 comments:

signed...bkm said...

floating up to a cotton-ball sky...an enchanting image..and the vibration of happiness traveling down the strings length.....an angel what a beautiful thought...may every child hold and feel such a beautiful ballon...bkm

Kala said...

I cannot remember seeing a movie called "The Red Balloon". But school was a long time ago ....

dustus said...

Hints of sad, happy, and sweet. Great images in cotton-ball clouds and jump rope—nobody related it to jumping rope. That's perfect for the scene you depict.

Hope said...

words are wonderful tools used to paint pictures vividly. well done with this piece!

Brian Miller said...

smiles. i like that vibration of happiness at having been found once again...

Margaret said...

bkm, Kala, dustus, Hope & Brian - This was such a great prompt as many One Stop prompts are. I would NEVER had even thought this up on my own. I'm not the best at poetry, but I'm slowly learning. Thanks for stopping!

Anonymous said...

this is my favorite of all of the poems for this photo prompt. very sweet and hopeful. love it! ♥ dani

Anonymous said...

Breathtaking. Poignant.

Sitara said...

That was a lovely poem , but beyond the words , i loved the idea and thought behind the poem :) How wonderful it would be if small things that lit up innocent faces could have same effect on we grown ups too ? Or do we just hesitate to ?Lovely poem !