It was only a piece of cheap Chinese-
made tat that she wanted for her birthday:
A musical jewellery box about 
yea big that she saw on Amazon.
                                      It 
was one among many unicorn-themed gifts 
that she said she would like for her birthday

I bought it, to her mother’s slight passing 
annoyance, (it would only be a waste 
of money)

            She unwrapped it the morning 
of her birthday, opening the box to 
reveal the unicorn spinning in time 
to tinkling music, its reflection in 
the mirror on the inner lid. 
                                I showed 
her how to wind it up, ‘not too tightly, 
as it could break’
                     I watched as delight danced 
across her enrapt face as it spun round
Only for her to re-wind the box and 
watch it some more

                      I occasionally 
hear her in her room, unicorn spinning 
to the tinkling music, her face filled with 
childish delight, and me wondering how 
much longer will she be so enrapt by 
something so cheap and wonderful, and I 
pray that she will never wind it up too 
tightly

          I would have paid twenty times more 
for that piece of cheaply made Chinese tat