Paper Bridges: Selected Poems of Kadya Molodowsky

The Tale of a Washtub

The Tale of a Washtub One bright day, at a lucky hour, When the sun was dozing on table and bed, Khantshe bought a wooden trough for kneading bread. But knead as she might, today and tomorrow— As long as the sun stayed up in the skies, The dough simply refused to rise. So this is what Khantshe said: If the kneading-trough is spoiled I'll make it a washtub where laundry is boiled. Now came the wonder of wonders: The tub scrubbed every spot, speck, and stain From the children's clothes! With no soap, with no drain! How did that happen? A shirt rolled three times around, like a hoop, The tub became soap. Turn to the left, Turn to the right— Out of the washtub, clean and bright. Neighbors popped up from cellars, from attics: Khantshe dear, with seven children, it's always wash and scrub! Please, just for today, lend me your new washtub. So the washtub travelled like gossip From the cellar up to a floor on top, Down to the yard's darkest nook, didn't stop. 195 ,TB x ]K a w x px ,DyTia x *px yann rn i DKH ^p^Bon px B ^ px ^"niyi B ^ ^KUB^ y^xa H yi Bbpt?p rx 196 After that: Up to an attic in a house with no door, Like a windmill, whirled up the steps, one-two-three-four. After that: Into a room with an oven that's blue, From there, to a Gentile neighbor's, too. And the story went on So long and so slow That the washtub itself knew which way to go. And it dared to set out All alone, just like that, Rolling and bumping from flat to flat. Worriedly, the washtub thought: There's Feyge-Beyle in her men's mackintosh— On Sunday I have to go do her wash.52 Because she has small children, She must wash diapers much more often. And Monday, I'll launder blouses in garrets. And Tuesday, no offense intended, I'm due to wash breeches stained with carrots.53 And on Wednesday, the tub noisily rolled To wash jackets, socks, and a coat For Sore-Zlate, who sells milk from her goat. Thursday was all push and shove As the washtub rolled, expanded its girth, And washed shirts for everyone on earth. 197 - Dins i5r^T jrfyq H ons^n p ^ m 198 Friday, the children wore clean underwear, Friday, the washtub became quite devout, And did nothing else but wash itself out. 199 >xt? xrotx-£?x 31183 ]§*1X lyDO ,iy&xn x tra •py ]x nxa t?xn o^yn H ,DIIX ^yVyir iKW T op^ nyttow x 7T oisy •"TI px 12^1 ,t:ypx2 200 ...