I am just a little girl,
Who once had a balloon.
I loved to see it dance with the wind.
Its color bright against the sky.
Its weightless joy filling me.

I shielded it from the sun,
Afraid it might burst under its rays.
I let it float,
But never too far,
Its string always wound around my fingers.

But one day, I held it too tight.
My fingers shook, my heart raced.
I squeezed it excessively,
Hoping it would never leave.
But then-
A pop,
An echo of what we once were.

I fell to my knees,
Gathering all the pieces-broken shards of rubber.
And still, I hold the string tight,
An empty tether,
And a handful of memories.
But that’s not enough.
I want it back,
I need my balloon.
No one else can have it.
It’s mine alone.