Kiev

Kiev

I've never been to Kyiv.

I've always been in Kyiv.

I went to Kyiv once.

I was seven years old.

My uncle lived in Kiev.

Nikita Khrushchev's photographer

There were many trees in Kyiv.

There were more trees than streets.

more trees than houses

My uncle lived in an apartment.

petit-bourgeois

not in a divided house

with another family

like us

in Drohobytch 

I've never been to Kyiv.

I've always been in Kyiv.

On top of a dresser

in my uncle's apartment

there was a wooden box

which he called "television"

When the box lit up

very small people appeared

who lived inside

They walked, sat, and talked.

as if they were people

but they were very small

And I wondered:

how could they live inside

From a box?

And why couldn't they leave?

And who were these people?

so similar to us

But so different?

I've never been to Kyiv.

I've always been in Kyiv.