W.S.默温：空水

得一忘二 译


我想念那只蟾蜍
整个夏天
它都来到圣诞莓树下
那口石灰岩
水盆中
它本是1912年
从巴西引进的装饰品
当年是荒废的
菠萝农场
小路上的一株杂树
现在成了一排老树中的
一棵老树
蟾蜍先是在晚上来
坐在水里
一整夜又一整日
后来晚上有时
走开去转转
早上再回来
回到树枝下
蕨类植物中
百合的绿色剑叶下
在水里坐着
度过旱季的月份
凝视天空
透过它那双
由最贵重的金属
打造的眼睛
回来吧
阴翳的信仰者
沉默与优雅的信仰者
蕨类植物的信仰者
耐心的信仰者
雨的信仰者




Empty Water

I miss the toad
who came all summer
to the limestone
water basin
under the Christmasberry tree
imported in 1912
from Brazil for decoration
then a weed on a mule track
on a losing
pineapple plantation
now an old tree in a line
of old trees
the toad came at night
first and sat in the water
all night and all day
then sometimes at night
left for an outing
but was back in the morning
under the branches among
the ferns the green sword leaf
of the lily
sitting in the water
all the dry months
gazing at the sky
through those eyes
fashioned of the most
precious of metals
come back
believer in shade
believer in silence and elegance
believer in ferns
believer in patience
believer in the rain