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

[Soren]

What a beautiful metaphor of a lost relationship. We are all still childlike emotionally and carelessness can lead to pain registered in our memories. Such a nice write.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Soren. I truly appreciate your visit and review. All the best.

Chris

[W. Barrett Munn]

Hi, Chris,

I don't know how I did not see this offering before. It is so musical and well-crafted and tugs the heart strings just hard enough.

Winston

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks Winston. An old poem out for a breath of air while my muse has gone awol. So pleased you called.

Chris

[Ken e Bujold]

time can soften. a joyous end to a hard hitting memory. Grief, as you know Chris, is a hard pebble. Its first pinch into the flesh hurts like hell, then as time shifts it fades by increments, but at odd times gives a hard pinch to remind of the loss. You capture all that so well here. Glad to be back reading.

hope all well

ken

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Ken. All is well apart from my muse going awol. Such an inconsiderate cow she can be:) Pleased you stopped by to give this old poem your thoughts. You are appreciated. Hope all is well with you.

Chris

[JE Falcon]

Such a nice poem, warm but sort of sad.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Falcon. Pleased for your visit and your review.

Chris

[Carola]

a well-penned poem, chris.
though very sad for you to lose a brother & so young too, 7 years old!
there is nothing that one can say to ease grief & everyone deals with it in a different way.
cheerio carola

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Carola your encouragement so much appreciated. This was written on the anniversary of my brother's death, he didn't die at seven. He lived till he was 61

[Carola]

oops! my misreading.

[Chris Shaw]

I was lucky enough to have him around for 61 years. He survived a liver transplant, it gave him an additional three years. Really miss him Carola. Thank you.

[andrew mitchell]

Yes I’ve lost a balloon as a child only to see many others lost to the sky and I wondered how the other poor kids coped with the heart break. Nice one Chris.

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Andrew. That lost balloon as a kid, was my first sense of loss. There have been many since. Really appreciate your visit.

Chris

[ved]

It is so beautiful poem with very complex feelings hidden in it, I cannot feel your whole pain but absolutely a part of it, which is hidden in the poem, I don't know if the painful memories will disappear or not but surely the pain will.

Ved

[Chris Shaw]

Dear ved, thank you for leaving such a lovely review. We learn to live with our losses, but fortunately our memories still keep our loved ones who have gone, close to us.

Chris

[Dave]

The joys found in balloons. The games that we all played with cries of happy delight.
The only sadness was when they were gone, but still, we remember the fun we had.

Take care - Dave

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Dave. Losing a balloon at a young age, was probably my first experience of what loss felt like. Setting me up for the far more painful ones later on in life.

Chris

[.]

This poem with balloon holding in hand is so visual. It's a heartbreaking tale of two siblings and the common cord that once United them but with time's cruel hand that tie broke.... But the loving spirit still remains and the grief softens as time is the best healer.

You have put the hard reality and the pain a notch above with this fine write...

[Chris Shaw]

You so understood this poem Sima. Thank you, thank you thank you. Thank you especially for calling on the anniversary of Steve's passing.

Chris

[.]

You are so welcome and I am so sorry for your loss! My heart goes to you... ❤

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you dear poet :)

[Pete]

i love the metaphor of holding onto a balloon and having it taken away - so clever and effective. at parades, fairs and such i am always saddened to see balloons sailing away - knowing that a child is unhappy at the loss. a piece of those we've lost stays with us. such a great metaphor because can also represent letting go and us and them being set free from burdens.

'Grief bites hard, yet time can soften.'

indeed. wonderful piece of verse chris ... :)

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Pete, Yes the lost balloon as a metaphor for our losses in life, has always worked for me. Here one minute, gone the next and watching that balloon float away knowing it will never return, is so powerful as well as heart breaking.

Chris