© 2013 Mál og Menning, Reykjavík

Prologue: The Crisis Sonnet

IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF!
OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!
OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!
IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF!

IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF!
OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!
OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!
IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF! IMF!

FME! FME! FME! FME! FME! FME! FME! FME! FME! FME!
FIT! FIT! FIT! FIT! FIT! FIT! FIT! FIT! FIT! FIT!
LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL!

FME! FME! FME! FME! FME! FME! FME! FME! FME! FME!
FIT! FIT! FIT! FIT! FIT! FIT! FIT! FIT! FIT! FIT!
LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL!


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

Note: While most of the acronyms above are used internationally, some are specifically Icelandic. FIT denotes overdraft fees and FME stands for the Financial Surveillance Authority.

X.

You are spongy roads
paved to the ankles

Repulsed I pull the swines
from my neighbour’s piggy-bank

 
to the garden for grilling


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

X.

The shipwrecks of reformed times
turned out to be conquered fowls.

The refrigerator is empty!
The washing machine!

I wish for rococomilk!


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

X.

Sold the emperors new values
to the highest bidder

I cry not the futility
of many words
my still-lifes are post-bourgeois


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

X.

Do you accept transfer tickets?
Could you charge this to my account?
Are pennies also crowns?
Can we perhaps reach an agreement?

My right titty for a liter of milk!
My kingdom for Camel Filters!

(oh, why are pennies crowns?)


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

X.

We are what we eat
We gobble what we become
We eat what we gobble
We are what we become


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

X.

Turn on the lights, it’s dark

Fears insolvency & fears collection proceedings & fears demands on estate & fears
government collectors & fears unsuccessful attachment & fears & fears & fears creditors & fears modern mendicancy & fears to render unto caesar the things which are caesars & fears for instance attachment of property & fears insolvency measures & fears the order of debts &fears the administrator & fears a fire-sale & fears moratorium & fears mortgaged collateral&fears & fears & fears registered property mortgage deeds & fears the legal status of guarantors & fears debtees & fears fiscal movements & fears over-heating & fears inflation & fears a business deficit & fears & fears & fears a fiscal deficit & fears currency risk & fears pegged exchange rate systems & fears an increase in lending & fears default & fears for instance unemployment & fears depreciation & fears credit fines & fears the quarterly settlement & fears loss of expenditure & fears collection & fears payment behaviour & fears & fears & fears the battle about Iceland’s image

Turn off the lights, it’s time for bed


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

X.

Open the window, it’s warm

Desires gold premium & desires payment service & desires frequent flyer programs & desires a future account & desires three-way savings & desires additional pension savings & desires equity management & desires & desires & desires profit protection & desires student premium & desires to design one’s own charge card & desires the cairn-club & desires for instance income protection & desires additional coins & desires regular savings & desires equity pensions & desires pillar-accounts & desires star-accounts & desires market-accounts & desires & desires & desires bargain-accounts & desires future-accounts & desires family accounts & desires fund management & desires for instance high-interest internet-accounts & desires financial custody accounts & desires credit rating & desires additional perks & desires a discount on borrowers cost & desires free financial education and consulting & desires for instance a roomier overdraft & desires direct access to a service representative & desires & desires & desires payment distribution & desires a children’s account & desires to have a worry-free old age

Close the window, it’s cold


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

X.

Power, peace, freedom, yawn
Energy, wealth, foresight, yawn
Speed, courage, truth, yawn
Optimism, bravery, experience, yawn.

Grumble, rumble, wail, whine.


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

X.

The television will not be televised
The television will be live yawn
the revolution I was about to get to that
the revolution will initially be rerun and it will
also be available yawn online in a so-called live-stream
Download and distribution not allowed. You wouldn’t steal a car.


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

X.

A walk-up for walking up
A walk-through for walking through
A walk-about for walking about
A walky-talky for talking walky


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

X.

All out of bada bing
Only bada boom left
Only boom, bada boom
Bada bada boom


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

X.

Shallows the tides
sinking fluctuations
freetail batmaggot


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

X.

Rent-a-serf with rubber-handles
indexed moaning
longer, deeper, more


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

X.

E n d u r e n d u r e n d u r e
  e n d u r e n d u r e the wonder
    and marvel and thunder
      sand built on land
        sinking on shores
            winds row and grounds heal
          distended diaphragms of the breathless
        singing capitals of letters
      There will be no conditions
     made or provisos of words
    the world is costless
  for those who make bold and
shop

In the distance the sound
of ancient loans overdue


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

X.

Stocks gaping over
  the grooves of the perplexed
    it bleeds with ease from pockets
      lined with photographs of
        vikings in all sorts of swashbuckling
          tight spots of unsavage images
            crying darlings at our likenesses
          in nonstop scuffles with
        walls of garages
      so that the members
    of the farmer party
  most honourable
will stand frightened

On blogs the cussing of Pound
and the shrieking of Lorca