darling little doll floating

on a black balloon- up up and up

‘till she’s beyond the cotton candy clouds

of acid dreams

dancing away (from me) on ugly needlepoint

heroin/e/

of a million back-alley police raid bedtime

stories and poster child of guidance counselor lectures

to the room with her empty seat and the

ugly faces of those who dared to

chase her

into the dark darkening sphere

watching her claw and choke on the

rubber of that damned

black balloon