A Drizzly Hot-Air Ballon Race

the city crawled
through the sky,
a cover of clouds
masking her trip
to the moon.
sullen-faced balloons
hung their deflated heads,
mental pinholes
lassooing
their feet
to the lawn,
too strong
the fear their
blindfolded eyes
would conjure
knife-edged mountains
from the mist.
resisting the temptation
to flee
a few
remaining birds
sought comfort
in the trees
certain
of the tears
that would come
but then heaven
opened her eyes
allowing the
lightning strands
of her hair
to rain
on the earth
as the sun