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