Trafika Europe 7 - Ukrainian Prayer

Tanya Maliarchuk

my four human appendages. I would use it for its primary purpose – I’d use it to chase away flies from my body, the table, the bed, from other people. Because flies have become very audacious lately and aren’t afraid of my hands. They sit on me without the least amount of fear, as though I’m some kind of corpse or even something inorganic. I understand: it’s possible that during this late autumn season, flies simply just can’t react, they’re all somehow impeded, as though they’re peacefully waiting for their own death, as though someone had fed them something sleep- inducing. It’s possible that’s just the reason the flies act so audaciously: they’re just sleepy and I think they’re audacious. But all this wouldn’t mean anything if I only had a tail. Then I could

chase them away from here really easily. Or even kill them. If I had a tail, and if it were real, because I don’t want a prosthetic tail. I want a real one. I think there would only be one problem with it – it would be hard to sit. On a chair, on a couch, on a bed, on the ground. The tail would get in the way. I’d refuse to sit because of it. Because there would be good reason. I’d have a tail! Don’t think I want to be different or something else there, I don’t want to be different from other people – in general I’d sneeze at that. I might, maybe, not even show anybody my tail. Though it certainly would be hard to hide it. Because a horse needs to be big, fluffy, splendiferous. I’d comb it. Clean it often. Perfume it.

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