Throughout history it controlled life on earth.
Not until an apple fell
did it lose its air of invincibility.

Birds it pitied
they tried to escape but always had to come back.
Balloons it loved
they gave joy to children who only dreamt of flying.
Humans it feared
because they kept on trying.

Yet gravity remained victorious
until one sunny day last century
when man thumbed his nose
and escaped to the moon.

Then gravity growled and howled.
Gave up.
Loosened its grip.
People rose like champagne bubbles
birds fluttered upwards against their will.
Soon, like the balloons
everyone was out of sight
and gravity remained behind.
All powerful. All alone.

				Hunter Braum