New Year in Vishnyowka

                            (a lullaby)

Snow glints and softens
a pig's slaughter.

Mama refuses another 
drink, mama 
agrees to another drink.

On the wall—a carpet with peonies,
their purple mouths 
                     suck me into sleep.
Small, 
        I've been bedded. 
                                            Toasts
from across the wall, 
                     my lullabies. 
Mama says no-no-no 
to more drink.

My bed smells of valenky. 
Without taking its eyes off me
a cat 
licks its grey paw as if sharpening a knife.
Mama yells yes to another drink.

Mama's breasts are too big to fit into packed morning buses.
There's uncertainty 
                                 I would grow into a real person.
But on a certain day 
in Vishnyowka, 
a pig

is slaughtered, mama whispers yes 
yes yes yes 
to more drink,
I'm vanishing into the peonies’ throats,
peonies smell of valenky, 
                                 of pig’s blood
on the snow.

*

Clock’s hands leave a strange ski track.