GOD

GOD

Most of the time,
man steers his ship
by the middle course
without much difficulty,
as if his experience
had put it on automatic pilot
of human reason,
tolerance, and love.
But sometimes it‘s like
an invisible, inhuman hand
disconnects the automatic pilot
and steers the ship deliberately

right onto the rocks and blows up the mountain

with the people of the country
along with the crew of the ship
in an uncontrollable outburst of rage.

Most of the time,
the hand misuses
the name of God.

THÓR STEFÁNSSON, Iceland

Translation by Stanley Barkan and Germain Droogenbroodt in cooperation with the author