Balloons and Brothers

(Remembering my younger brother)

A gust of wind whipped my balloon,

on string tucked in my hand it tugged.

My fingers felt the final slip,

I held on tight but lost my grip,

I watched aghast it sailed away.

I've not forgotten that day when

my young voice strained and screamed out loud.

My loss etched deep, a child's despair

as floating red, reclaimed by air,

my smile replaced by blue dismay.

 

I search this morning's pink streaked sky

recall our childhood you and I.

As sun wakes up to warm my soul,

my sorrow breaks, I'm far from whole,

those thoughts of you bleed through and often.

Grief bites hard, yet time can soften.

Reviews

[Lydia Shutter]

Chris, I can identify with this one. While I am an only child, I spent most of my childhood with my cousin. When someone you have shared so much with is gone, it seems as though the memories get blurry. The honest emotion in this poem resonated with me. The rhythm and rhyme of your lines makes for a lovely flow. May the memory of your brother always be a blessing to you. Lydi**

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Lydi** I appreciate your share here. Your review is encouraging and your thoughts kind. read moreThank you Lydi** I appreciate your share here. Your review is encouraging and your thoughts kind.

Chris

[Desert Knave]

Wow. This one cuts deep. Well-worded. ~Jim

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks for stopping by Jim. Hope you have had a great day.

Chris

[Thomas W Case]

The ache in this one is tender and unpolished—the kind of grief that leaves a bruise on memory.
I love how you let the balloon float away and carry the heartache with it; it’s simple, human, and quietly relentless.

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Thomas for your thoughtful review. You are appreciated.

Chris

[Buddhistboy73]

Nice write Chris...

I liked the use of a balloon floating away on the air to symbolise the loss of a brother.

This is heartfelt and moving. I liked these lines:

those thoughts of you bleed through and often.
Grief bites hard, yet time can soften.

BB73

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you BB73 for a lovely review. An old poem, but anniversaries are still sore. I appreciate your words.

Chris

[Kady R.]

Hiii Chriss,

I love the rhyming in this poem!!🤗🤗😍😍🥰🥰Very touching. I like how it started with a memory of a balloon and ended with the memory of a loved one. I enjoyed reading this one Chris. Very good one. Thanks for sharing 🤗🤗🤗

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Kady, thank you so much for reading. My late brother is on my mind recently. I sent this one spinning round again. Thank you for noticing.

Chris

[Kady R.]

My condolences for your loss Chris. My aunt just died two days ago and indeed life is as fleeting as the balloon lost in the sky. Thanks for sharing the correlation there.

[Chris Shaw]

You are more than welcome. Condolences on the loss of your aunt. The grief will soften, time does do that.

[Kady R.]

Thanks Chris🤗🤗🥰🥰😍😍

[Mauricio Montoya]

Chris I had to read this write more than once because I got loss in thought of memories of my own I don't think One can forget the love of someone so dear, this write touches my heart.
Thank you for sharing.

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Mauricio, thank you so much for your heartfelt review. I’m pleased my words reached out to you. Have a lovely day.

Chris

[Mauricio Montoya]

You have an amazing way with words.
Excellent write.

[Lara]

I've lost a brother.
Your poem, Chris, both steals away yet returns my own balloon... A deft write on familial grief weighed against sibling love and the buoyancy of childhood shared. 🩵

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much Lara. Sorry for your loss. Eleven years gone now, the grief softens but ….
read moreThank you so much Lara. Sorry for your loss. Eleven years gone now, the grief softens but ….

Chris

[RomaJ]

This is so beautiful, Chris. Your poem truly moved me. The way you captured that moment with the balloon. The tug, the slip, the sudden strike of grief; is so vivid and heartfelt. I wrote Marigold Sky after the death of my own child, who we only had a few moments with as an infant, and your poem brought back that same sense of fleeting, precious time...how grief and love shift but never disappear.

Balloons and Brothers reminds me so much of Marigold Sky in how it holds sorrow and tenderness together. Thank you for sharing something so deeply personal and beautiful.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you RomaJ. I was hoping you would call on this one. You have really given me a lift with your lovely review. I appreciate very much your thoughts.

Chris

[Farjana Shah Chaity]

The way you blend memories of loss with the sunrise of hope reflects the resilience of the human spirit. Your words resonate powerfully, reminding us that while grief may linger, time can gradually mend our wounds ~ chaity

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you chaity. I appreciate very much your thoughts and your visit. Welcome to my page and thank you for the friend request.

Chris

[Farjana Shah Chaity]

always....my pleasure

[Bhuyanshi Talukdar]

The experience of losing something so dear to us �™�⁠‿⁠�™�

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. All the best.

Chris

[NormaZ]

I love the metaphor of the ballon, so hard to let go. Knowing that in time grief will hurt less, but right now, that doesn’t help to ease the pain. Lovely poem.

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks Norma for your kind words. Pleased you stopped by.

Chris