A Birthday Party

They were blowing into balloons,
themselves
and the balloons wouldn't take it
for they came in sizes, too small
to be inhaling emptiness,
containing
the weight of it.

The balloons burst.
They tried newer ones.

Mother got tired.
Father needed a drink.

I picked the reds and greens from the floor.
It pricked me when I saw him
head to that door
while she tried
to try a little more,
my mother.