Poetry
by Volha Hapeyeva
he bought her a dress
as a farewell present
on his birthday
whether she still wears it
I wonder
my own dresses I buy myself
gifts are a strange practice
particularly those from men
perhaps because of Lévi-Strauss?
I was a present myself for so long
giving and receiving
and receiving so as to give away
a symbolic void
binds us
in place of men and women
we exchange their stories
with the hope
of becoming — at least — distant
relatives
Appeared in Issue Spring '20
Nationality: Belarusian
First Language(s): Russian
Second Language(s):
English,
Belarusian
Das Land Steiermark
Listen to Volha Hapeyeva reading "The Gift".
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