we shouldn’t be allowed in cemetaries
and not just because we’re all under the age of 23

i’m pretty sure we shouldn’t have been drinking
imposter champagne
made in florida
and eating cupcakesby your grave
but it seemed appropriate
to celebrate your birthday
the way you would’ve wanted

you would've been 22 today

im not entirely convinced
that you’re not drinking a martini
and laughing at all of us down here
and hoping
that i’d take down
that embarrassing prom picture of you
by the piano

we all tied messages to balloons
and sent them up for you to read
don’t let the mailmen in heaven
get confused because i called you cher
and signed it dionne
i know you’ll understand

standing under your tree
i watched my balloon
after i let go

saw it float up into the sky
until it was just a pink dot
obscured by clouds
and my eyes were too watery to focus