Trafika Europe 7 - Ukrainian Prayer

Natalka Bilotserkivets

GARTER SNAKES

There is the forlorn woman’s hate: to give her deserting lover a bill down to the penny— for every night spent together. There is the hate of a childless beauty who looks into baby carriages just to find blemishes on babies.... There are no limits to human zeal. The more light, the more intense the shadows, the more sorrow, the sharper the laughter.

Whoever has hell in their heart can’t abide the joys of others.

From this day on,

child, avoid these cheerless souls. But it’s better for us to walk a little further into the woods. There tiny garter snakes

have just been born near a stream. Don’t fear them—they don’t bite.

(Their home sweet home is last year’s rotten leaves).

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