What’s Needed

Halfway through National Poetry Month already? Well, a bit more than half, since today is day 16. Time to throw a party. And what’s needed to help make a party festive? Balloons, and also the smiles they perhaps bring.

What’s Needed

A man leaves the party supply place
with three immense balloons. Each
bigger than a man’s torso,
and a big man, at that. Red,
blue, and green. Each protected
from this morning’s yet-again
drizzle by a pale plastic wrap
which billows about its balloon.

Low clouds press down—
they’d like to help—
while he works the balloons one by one
into the backseat of a faded red sedan.
It isn’t help, the clouds.
Nor the half-rain
nor the wind that barges in
as if it were needed.

Don’t get me wrong
sometimes wind is needed,
or is, at least, a prominent
side benefit; just ask the earth
or the rain cycle, the jet stream,
weather forecasters. Dandelion
fluff. But this task could do without,
although the man succeeds:

seats the balloons in back,
wedges himself in front, turns on
the red car’s head lamps, and leaves.
What’s needed is a Spring day
the way we imagine them,
bright and pretty. Sunshine.
A midday party which, presumably, is

what the balloons are meant for.
A cocoon against the damp and dreary.
Maybe some streamers, buckets of
confetti, prismatic, dazzling.

Huge balloon smiles.

~~

In the Northeastern US, April is typically rainy, interspersed with more and more sunny days as time passes. It’s great to have a variety of weather, but sometimes it would be nice to have a little more of the weather we choose and less of what we wouldn’t choose. The better to plan an outdoor party!