Poetry colletced in Bishop’s Geography III. Translated into Chinese by H.C..
last updated: 10/01/2023
Five Flights Up 🔗
Still dark.
The unknown bird sits on his usual branch.
The little dog next door barks in his sleep
inquiringly, just once.
Perhaps in his sleep, too, the bird inquires
once or twice, quavering.
Questions—-if that is what they are—-
answered directly, simply,
by day itself.
Enormous morning, ponderous, meticulous;
gray light streaking each bare branch,
each single twig, along one side,
making another tree, of glassy veins…
The bird still sits there. Now he seems to yawn.
The little black dog runs in his yard.
His owner’s voice arises, stern,
“You ought to be ashamed!”
What has he done?
He bounces cheerfully up and down;
he rushes in circles in the fallen leaves.
Obviously, he has no sense of shame.
He and the bird know everything is answered,
all taken care of,
no need to ask again.
—-Yesterday brought to today so lightly!
(A yesterday I find almost impossible to lift.)
Translated into Chinese by H.C.
五次飞行 🔗
天仍黑着。
不知名的鸟停在他熟悉的枝头。
隔壁睡着的小狗在叫
寻找什么似的，就那么一次。
或许也睡着，鸟也在寻找什么
一次或两次，微微颤着。
疑问——若能被如此称作——
已被直接回答了，简单地，
被日子本身。
巨大的早晨，迟缓，审慎；
灰光直达每一条裸露的树枝，
每一枚枝桠，齐齐一边，
使另一棵树，叶脉明亮……
这只鸟仍在那儿。现在他似乎打起了哈欠。
这只小黑狗在他的院子里奔跑。
传来他主人的声音，是斥责，
“你该感到丢脸！”
他做了什么？
他开心地蹦蹦跳跳；
他在落叶里来回跑。
显然，他没有丢脸的感觉。
他和鸟知道一切都被回答了，
一切已有安排，
不必再去问。
——昨日如此轻易地被带入今天！
（一个我几乎无法举起的昨日。）