Ode to the Moon

by Vilborg Dagbjartsdóttir

When I have done the washing up
When I have taken the rubbish out
When I have cleaned the kitchen floor
When I have polished the corridors
When I have done the vacuum-cleaning
When I have done the dusting
When I have done the washing
When I have done
I shall go out on the balcony
to brandish the brush
in the moon’s face
no woman has been sent there
with the CLEANING RAG

not yet

Translated by Bernard Scudder.
Originally appeared in Icelandic Poetry by Bernard Scudder,
published by Saga Forlag, EHF.