A Birthday Gift from Ukraine

The Land of Sunflowers

Photo from Author

Looking at the brown box
in the post office,
I thought my student holidaying
in Greece
had sent her teacher a gift.
But no, in neat handwriting, it read
“Ukraine.”

Ukraine? Huh?
I don’t know anyone there.
Could it be some craft materials
I ordered from Etsy,
produced in Ukraine?

Curious, I opened the box
and removed a brown package with a
collage of flowers
and prints that read
“Judge not from Appearances”
“Flowers”
“the WORLD” and an
embossed pink rose.

“Such lovely handiwork,” I mused.
What gift would such a package hold?
Reaching in, I pulled out
a most exquisite
handcrafted
book.