THE RETURN OF THE VIKINGS

(For Grzegorz Wrblewski)

The Vikings have returned. The buy alcohol, sing songs from the show ”Bonanza” and sexually demolish stone sculptures on the small square in the centre.

Cosmos is an island, and life a walk on murky water.

The Vikings know the language of herring, and axes grow from

their heads. In a few centuries extraterrestrials will arrive, but local legends will not talk about them.

There is always an Ithaca to be destroyed.

The Police do not react. They have never heard of that ”Bonanza”.

THE UNCHANGEABLE CONSEQUENCES OF RUSSIFICATION

Russian lessons begun early, already in the first grade. At that time ”Zenith 5” pens were in fashion. I ran to my mother to beg for such a pen. Then I sat in class and indulged in the pleasure of taking apart and putting together the ”Zenith 5” pen, for so long, that I knew each tiny piece by heart. I could even take the ”Zenith 5” apart and put it back together under

my desk. Even with my eyes closed. Once, I was not careful and I dropped a spring which flew high up in the direction of the bulletin-board with Dzierzyski, and fell in the middle of the classroom, unmotivated like the pilot Gagarin. I was reprimand for this. Time passed. But, even though my Russian wasn’t going well, and I was even supposed to leave university, to this day I can with my eyes closed screw and unscrew a ”Zenith 5” pen, devoutly, like a secret agent with a mission to kill the president. Minding the spring.

Translated by Ulvija Tanović

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