Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TRAGEDY, by JILL SPARGUR


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TRAGEDY, by                    
First Line: I always wanted a red balloon
Last Line: And I don't want one -- now.


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.
We 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 that 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 one -- now.





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