a woman who knows me
was describing her nervous
breakdown
it was like i was riding
in a helium baloon
and the pelicans
kept pecking and pecking
and my friends and relatives
were cheering the freaking birds on
and i was flailing my arms
like old king kong
and the pelicans started laughing
and needling me
saying things like
it's all your fault
that daddy and mommy went
away
she paused and whispered a tear
a whimper a feather could have-----
and then she wailed
the balloon exploded
and all of my toys and
marbles
were
gone
by ritt