What was given came without
the usual reasons——the earth.
that day having completed
no meaningful circuit of the sun.
The giving should have been cause enough
for surprise， or that hidden beneath
patterned folds of wrap， within
a box large as any man's bewilderment，
waited some unknown thing， purchased
after long labor， How undeserved，
that unreciprocated moment，
when all the twisted paths
they'd walked together and alone，
seemed to brighten at the first tug
on the bow， the paper hinging out
like doors， the lid ready to come undone
as one stood there， still
too frightened to peer inside.