The Red Ball

By J.D. Clark


Once, a young boy, about to turn ten,
stood at a store window wishing, as in
rushed other boys, all with cash in hand,
to buy the coolest game known to man.


'Twas a video game that while playing, you see,
a kid could actually fly!–well, virtually.
But the boy lived with his poor granddad,
who worked very hard for what little they had.


Still, the boy wished very hard anyway,
that he'd unwrap that game on his tenth birthday.
And on that next day, his granddad said,"Boy,
I have, just for you, a very special toy."


And he brought out a big box wrapped in blue,
and said,"This present was meant for you."
Excited, the boy ripped the box open wide,
but the game he had wished for was not inside.


No there wasn't a game, just a big red ball,
and the boy's little heart began to fall.
Yet "Thank you," he said, for the boy was polite,
and he loved his granddad with all of his might.


But he wanted that game, and he wanted to cry,
for he wanted so badly to play it and fly.

For it was a game that while playing, you see,

a kid could actually fly!–well, virtually.

"This is what we played with when I was a boy,"
said his granddad,"A ball is a wonderful toy.
Now take it outside and give it a try
I think you'll be amazed when you see why."


So being polite, the boy took it outside,
and when he was alone he threw it and cried,
"What a stupid ball! A stupid red ball!
There's nothing fun about a ball at all!"


Then the boy looked down and there at his feet,
was the ball which had somehow rolled back up the street.
Then he bounced it as hard as he could on the ground,
and it took quite a awhile, but it finally came down.


So the boy kicked it hard with all of his might,
'til it rolled all the way out of sight. But that night...
Thru the boy's bedroom window, the ball bounced in,
and woke up the ten year old boy. And then...


The boy clung to the ball in pajamas and socks,
and flew out the window, up past the rooftops.
They flew up into the moonlit night,
'Til the entire town was small twinkly sight,


They flew over buildings and bridges and trees,
They flew over mountains, and oceans, and seas,
Clear over the Grand Canyon, both of them flew,
And over the pyramids of Egypt, too,


And over the Eiffel tower in France,
And over the Great Wall of China they danced.
And then they returned as the sunlight came on,
Passing the game store where the lines were quite long.


"Hey look!"said a boy,"Is that a red ball?"
Then everyone looked up in wonder and awe.
For the boy and his ball were flying, you see,
they were actually flying-not virtually! 


Then back to his bedroom landed again,
the ten year old boy with a very wide grin.
He told his granddad,"You were right–this ball,
is the most amazing toy of all! 


I can bounce it way up into the sky,
and if I hold onto it, I can fly!"
But what the boy loved most about his red ball,
more than bouncing or flying or anything at all,


Was kicking it back and forth with his granddad,
who worked very hard for what little they had.


The End.