Two Green Balloons

along the street lined with jewelry,
cakes, and all those things that make a festival
a party,
are the smiles of those who value life.

its about the experience not the six dollars , she says
i watch the boys flip over a rubber duck
an S gets them each an inflatable dolphin.

so we walk more, holding hands, amongst
them all, watching them carrying dolphins, smiling
watching us carrying dolphins, smiling
after cake, two green balloons, and finally the moon bounce
a wonderful day.

nothing matters to the boys, except that moment, and
that their balloons didn't fly away while they bounced.

on second thought, the oldest says on the way back,
lets let the balloons go so God can have them,
a gift from us.

fair enough.

as we get back they forget, lost in another adventure.

i remember later as i empty the car
looking up to the gray sky i let them go
they remain green for a few seconds, then they fade
into the gray, and then they are just two small specs
and finally the are gone, and i am left
alone.

in the driveway, imagining that nothing mattered
i turn my head realizing that everything does matter
the whole lot of it.