Friday, July 15, 2011

Tragedy by Jil Spargur

I first read this in a book of poems my father gave me for my birthday when I turned 12. I loved many of the poems in this book. This one is about how things change as you grow up. She wanted a red balloon but her mom didn't think it was worth the  money...and she says she could get one now that she is grown but she doesn't want it anymore. I think children these days would be shocked at this. Most of the ones I know have so many toys they can't put them all up. Maybe the kids today are TOO spoiled? The girl in this story was not for sure.

I always wanted a red balloon,
It only cost a dime,
But Ma said it was risky,
They broke so quickly,
And beside, she didn't have time;
And even if she did, she didn't
Think they were worth a dime.
W lived on a farm, and I only went
To one circus and fair,
And all the balloons I ever saw
Were there.
There were yellow ones and blue ones,
But the kind I liked the best
Were red, and I don't see why
She couldn't have stopped and said
That maybe I could have one--
But she didn't--I suppose theat now
You can buy them anywheres,
And that they still sell red ones
At circuses and fairs.
I got a little money saved;
I got a lot of time,
I got no one to tell me how to spend my dime;
Plenty of balloons--But somehow
There's something died inside of me,
And I don't want--now.


This poem can be found in

1 comment:

AuntieM said...

When I was little, Dad always talked about wanting a Cadillac. We didn't have enough money. I learned to drive in our old 51 Chevy truck. Time went by, and Dad worked hard enough and had enough money that he could buy any car he wanted. We all kept saying, "Dad, why don't you buy yourself a Cadillac?" He would just smile and say he didn't really want one anymore. Now I understand.