Wrapped in White

... because the most expensive gift is not bought, it is brought.

On my third birthday, I got a gift that couldn't be returned.

A gift that would always be there with me.

A gift that would haunt me.

Gift was not a doll,

was not a Starbucks' card.

Gift had one ear sticking out more than the other one.

Gift would cry.

Gift was sometimes bossy.

But, Gift was always happy.

And if it was happy, then I was happy.

Gift had a crush on a boy who was two years older,

got a ring from that boy at age four,

lost it the very next day.

(We still can't find it.)

Gift would snitch on me,

would hug me,

would hurt me.

Gift would say, "I'm sorry," as if it was a robot.

Gift cried on the first day of school,

then made friends really quickly,

invited them over for a play date.

Gift got home schooled for two months only,

went back to school because,

it missed its friends.

Gift still snores and talks when sleeping,

cries at night,

sometimes sleeps with me because it gets nightmares.

Gift makes me laugh,

makes my life shine a little brighter.

Gift pranks me,

slaps me in the face with shaving cream when I just get out of the shower,

takes the cream out of my Oreo cookie and puts mustard instead, and then gives it to me

(I take a bite).

But, I love my gift because

Gift was not bought,

it was brought into.

Gift was not in put in a pink, polka-dot box, with a purple bow on top.

Gift was wrapped up in white cotton,

as if it wore a wedding dress.

Gift is not a bouquet of red summer roses,

not the mp3 that I got on my eighth birthday.

Gift is my little sister,

Gift is a laugh.

Author's Note

"Write about a gift that you once got," my instructor said.
So I wrote about her. :)

Reviews

[Manel]

it is nice to tell the ones you love how much they really mean to you
your sister is very lucky to have you and you are lucky to have her
very sweet poème thanks DANA

[Zee Langa]

She's a very fortunate 'gift' to have a sister like you. She will realise one day that despite you being born first, you were born to be her precious gift, her precious older sister.

[justdandy]

Well it is okay to have hope.

[Zee Langa]

What makes you say that?

[justdandy]

I was responding to "She will realise one day that despite you being born first, you were born to be her precious gift, her precious older sister."

[Davidgeo]

That's kinda sweet.

I hate my sisters so, lucky you.

[justdandy]

Thank you for the kinda sweet review.

I have 3 younger sisters, so I don't have enough hate, to hate them all. :)

[Sir Drift & Mr. Pulse]

this is very beautiful, should show this to my sister.

[justdandy]

Aww, thank you so much. That is so sweet.

[unspokenpain]

What a wonderful way to show your love for your sibling. They truly are a gift to us older brothers and sisters, one that should never be taken for granted. Well done

[justdandy]

Thank you. And it is true the we should never take sibling love for granted.

[Jacob Clifford]

Very sweet poem. With sibling rivalry, it's easy to forget just how much of a gift siblings. can be.

[justdandy]

true, so true.

[barleygirl]

My sister also got our brother on her 6th birthday, so I caught on immediately. I'm afraid the constant use of "gift" sounds repetitive & distancing. I'd love to see a few of these short sentences combined to cut down on the repetition of "gift". Example: "Gift will sometimes snore & talk while sleeping" . . .

Toward the end, when some lines are longer & more complex, the reading felt smoother. All in all, you've chosen many interesting & specific examples thru-out life to illustrate this gift. These are the details that bring a piece to life for us.

[justdandy]

Thanks. :D

[Shannon]

I love the sentiment and the style employed. It would be possible with a little rewording to get rid of the "it"s if you would like.

[justdandy]

Thank you. :)

[justdandy]

I wrote it's because I didn't want to say her or his, those would show the gender.

[Shannon]

Passive voice could help. Example : when sleeping instead of when it sleeps. The way it is written is my no means incorrect, just an observation on a different way!