i gave you a box of water balloons for your birthday
a childhood game! you thought
the enclosed card implored,
"throw each one from the balcony
onto the sidewalk below.
hurl them. make them splatter."
it said,
"i need you to do this for me."
i wanted you to feel
the lightness of dropping
as gravity sucked them to the ground below
i wanted you to hear
the sound of the rubber morsels burst
as water splashed the pavement
i needed to feel
the lightness of falling
i needed to hear
my insides splat