A damaged box
a fragile label slapped on every angle
Demanding caution from hands that will never care
Screaming in bold red font
Not just a warning, a burden—
‘Hold to these standards,’
The weight of the label grows heavier,
An impossible request for perfection.

It’s okay
It is just the box.
It is the insides that matter
Maybe they are still intact.

Open it up
Check to see if it is broken
Don’t worry if it is
You can just get rid of it.
Guilt free
After all, it wasn’t you who broke it

Oh no,
The insides are broken too.
Now it’s trash— Discarded without a second thought.
How quickly the value of an item can drop
Does the outside define the worth within?
What if the box is pristine and the insides are broken?