What Was Given

    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 labor¹， How undeserved，

    that unreciprocated moment，

    when all the twisted paths

    they'd walked together and alone，

    seemed to brighten at the first tug²

    on the bow， the paper hinging out

    like doors， the lid ready to come undone³

    as one stood there， still

    too frightened to peer inside.