Balloon Journey (Way Up There)

My head floated up into a cloud

My hand tied to a balloon so loud

With polka dots of green and blue

Red, tangerine and purple too

It pulled me up into the sky

I didn’t stop to question why

Just zip and whoop and I was gone

There wasn’t time to even yawn

My mother raced across the park

It’s too bad it was getting dark

The sunset blared across the sea

And lit up my balloon and me

Mother shouted as sunlight sank

I barely heard her yelling “Hank!”

Over the ocean, pretty and clear

I saw my reflection way up here

Wind blew in from south of town

Threatening to knock us down

Blew us over poles and cable

I held on but barely able

I looked down at trees and people

Scarcely missed the church’s steeple

Over Mrs. Creiger’s car

Hey look there’s a shooting star

I see policemen chasing me

Whoops, missed the top of Nana’s tree

A fire truck’s racing down the lane

I see some lightening, will it rain?

Over the brand new putt putt course

Over a cow and spotted horse

Blowing over a field of wheat

I wish that I could have a seat

My arm is tired and so am I

I’m hungry for some cherry pie

When will this darn thing lose air?

The string is showing signs of wear

The firemen take a stand at First

I hope they don’t expect the worst

A sharpshooter is standing by

His rifle held up to his eye

They’re going to shoot me down I think

I feel my stomach start to sink

The big round hoop has been deployed

My spirits suddenly are buoyed

A thunder boom, a lightening crack

I feel the wind whip up my back

All the sudden I am falling

I think I hear my mother calling

Firemen rush with the safety net

Mrs. Stimson starts to fret

Down I fall with rushing speed

I hope that I don’t break or bleed

Thud! I land hard in the mesh

It cuts into my pudgy flesh

Thankfully I’m safe and sound

Carefully I kiss the ground

Mother races through the crowd

Cheers go out, raucous and loud

Happily we make our way home

I hold Mom’s hand, no need to roam

Looking high up in the sky

I can’t help but wonder why

Out of all the things to hit today

Why the lightening came my way

Was it fortune or cosmic chance?

Or just a lucky happenstance?

Perhaps it was a goddesses boon

That choose a boy and his balloon

Whatever the case I’m glad I’m found

I like it down here on the ground

It sure was neat though, in the air

Things sure look different, way up there