The balloons survive

to take their First

Breath of Air.

They sail past Needles,

Thorns,

Tacks,

And Cacti.

Past the buffeting Winds

that try to send them

Elsewhere.

The balloons

Survive through

All this until they float

Too high.

Then they cannot

take the pressure

and Pop.

Shreds of them falling,

Falling, Falling, Falling

back to The Earth.