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Deer Farm

Ivan Yi-fan Hu · 2024.1.30

You shouldn't

come to the deer farm in winter he says

this is when the deer are ugliest

no antlers

only bare antler stumps but

they fall off in spring

the antlers grow in summer

then

turn beautiful then

are sawn off then

stumps then

turn ugly.

Firewood burns beneath a rusted iron pot

yellow-green water boils

for the deer to lap

you see him

throw a cigarette end and his spit

into the trough he says

come and stroke it

raised by us it won't fear people

but when you

reach out to

touch the nose

poking through

you see

on the wire fence red

traces.

Everyone is praising

how lovely the deer are

let me show you the deer king he says

every herd has a

king who controls

eating mating

and

the right to piss

the king among the breeding stags

is

king of kings.

Following the soft and

anxious cries of the deer

you see it

pressing its bare

head against the iron gate

he says

a breeding stag's antlers

are worth more

From the deer king's mouth

saliva drips

making everyone

cry out in disgust

it falls into the trough and

with his spit

mingles

Then let's take a photo we

finish the visit

he says

to have you here

is an honour

because

you are worth more

You feel your head

there is nothing there

you realise

people

do not grow antlers

so you feel safe

and proud

because—

you are worth more.

Shortly after three in the morning, 30 January 2024, Dunhua, Jilin

All Rights Reserved © Ivan Yi-fan Hu