Keep negative comments to yourself.
Avoid any disputes.

#15 LET GO

Reverse air flows
from an almost popped balloon
I filled with angry exhalations.
It arcs with random flatulence
and flops back to earth.

I’m not yet ready
to conduct the dispute.
My iron will
clamps itself around my heart
dragging me earth bound.
Self-made chains
clang heavily with every step
away from rationality.

Just like you suggested,
I made my negative comments
into thought balloons.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Then let them go.

An inner voice says,
“It’s long past due.”

Years ago, I climbed
St. Anne’s bell tower in Warsaw.
Taking in one last site before departure time
I stood overlooking Old Town,
feeling alone in that foreign city.
Cutoff.
Those sudden tears.
A hugely engorged
hot air balloon floated past
large as life above the river
just out of reach,
listing closer
but never close enough for me.
I longed to touch that field of yellow,
those stripes of blue, red and green
slowly drifting away on updraft currents
northwest around the bend
and disappearing beyond the trees.
Someone else’s last
rainbow colored tourist opportunity.

Release a breath.
Breathe in again deeply.

Standing in those open air archways,
for one moment
my little light beamed
as now
unchanged.

You, my love,
my friend and closest ally
to whom I come home.
You are the one
at whom I lash out most —
and then
after
words
hissing
out
hot
remembering
once more
to let go the string.