Tsutsumu

Tsutsumu: The Japanese art of wrapping items in an attractive and appropriate way.

Dear Satoshi,

Thank you for the egg. Smashed in transit, I’m afraid.

The origami chicken that it came in, however,

although gooey was exquisite. How clever you are!

We hesitated for ages before gently dismantling

the Taj Mahal. Perhaps now we regret it.

My wife is over the moon with the curry powder.

It seemed a shame to unpick the delicate spinning-wheel.

Straight out of an enchanted castle, we thought!

The plastic thimble will surely come in handy.

The walnut tree was so lifelike

we considered replanting it in our little garden.

Thank you for the walnut.

And that salmon! The magic you weave with paper!

It seemed to shimmer with life and jump for joy.

Sadly the slice of sashumi was well past its sell-by.

When the life-size model of a Toyota Landcruiser

was delivered, we were as tickled as the postman!

Our thanks for the jasmine-scented car-freshener.

Finally, a note of apology.

It was only after we had broken the string,

torn off the paper, and smashed open the box,

that we realized we had destroyed your gift

of a beautiful box. Sorry.