© 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 timesturned out to be conquered fowls.
The refrigerator is empty! The washing machine!
I wish for rococomilk!
X.
Sold the emperors new valuesto the highest bidder
I cry not the futilityof many wordsmy 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 televisedThe television will be live yawnthe revolution I was about to get to thatthe revolution will initially be rerun and it willalso 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