Life Cycle of a Helium Balloon 
Look at them:
resilient and lighter than air
a tail of ribbons fashioned into helices

They push at the ceiling 
optimistically bobbing 
attempting to escape into space

However they have little endurance
so in a day or two 
they surrender to gravity 
and wallow on the floor

Their death is slow 
but painless
deflating until they slump
shriveled and wrinkled on the ground

Although if I were a helium balloon
I would prefer the other way 
I think that I would 
like to go out with a bang 

                         Amy Baldwin