This is the story of a poem made from a table, balloons, Taylor Swift, gerbils, and poor judgment.

—and based on Table Poems, a poetic form created by Jan-Henry Gray.

Learn more.

BEHOLD the table

Lover Fuck you Ninety-nine
There's no clowns Red lipstick Furry, Fluffy
Cardboard Led Zeppelin Legs
Glitter Peanut Steampunk
Helium Style Secret
Slut Allergic to latex Eras
Friendship Bracelet Running on the Wheel Animals
Red Reputation Butt Holes
Clouds Foiled again Like
Cats Clan warrior princess Happy Birthday
Up Fearless Tails
Tissue paper We all float Lavender Haze
The love lasts so long Active Mylar is a material
balloons Taylor Swift gerbils

BEHOLD the submission

I submitted this with the typo still alive inside it. It did not find a home.

Submission

BEHOLD the poem

Balloon Eras

lover, fuck you, fearless

there are no clowns, no red lipstick, no happy birthday

ninety—nine eras

like cardboard cats

the love lasts so long, said taylor swift, we all float

said another

—slut

mylar is a functional material, but led zeppelin had great legs,

the reputation goes that butthole surfers

are foiled clouds that float on

oh—glittering peanuts, steampunk helium,

even if i'm allergic to latex,

i wear luft on my friendship bracelet

the gerbil running on the wheel—clan warrior princess—

imagines the lavender fields, kicks up the floral haze

active as a balloon in the wind, tail like tissue flapping

how it makes the room shimmer