This One's From Me

If trust is a gift,
I hope you've got the receipt.
In fact -
I hope it's a puzzle
with three of the pieces missing.
I hope it's a pair of stillettos
with no grip
that you wear every morning it's icy out.
I hope it's the food you hate;
the song that makes you mad;
and a photo just before you sneeze.
If trust is a gift
I hope it's all of your hopes and dreams
made entirely of sand;
so you can watch as they cascade
to the floor
through your fingers.
I hope it's the book that could save your life;
with all of the pages stuck together.
I hope it's ten pounds short for the rent,
and torrential rain every year
on your birthday.
I hope it's your car breaking down half-way down the M40
during rush hour
and you don't have time
to pull onto the hard shoulder.
If trust is a gift
I hope it's second-hand and it smells funny.
I hope it's almost what you wanted
but not what you needed.
If trust is a gift
I hope it brings you back to my front door
so you can knock until your knuckles bleed
and your wrists are weak.
If trust is a gift I hope you can't take it out of the box
without a gut-renching guilt.
If trust is a gift I hope it's got a gift tag
saying, 'THIS ONE'S FROM ME'.