猪
一个把自己推向市场。
另一个脑海空白一片。
一个慢慢烤成乳猪肉。
最聪明的一个失去了储钱罐。
然后,一个建起木头房子,
另一个盖好砖房,
还有一个买卖房地产
建材用的是石块和棍棒。
终于,知识的苹果
全被填在他们嘴里。
然后它们全都平躺,承受创伤
并且自我怀疑着增加重量。
老鼠
健忘是必须的,并非
只因痛苦、内疚。
因此,纽约市重建
当华尔街坍塌于零度地平线。*
特纳的绘画,船只倾覆于风暴
你几乎听到溺水者的狂欢
他们手挽手,眼镜叮当作响,
在舞池倾斜之前。
一些人用错误的勇气拒绝相信。
一些人终其一生接受审判,
在诡诈中令自己陷入潦倒
直到他们咳出带血的痰。
谁是《三只瞎眼老鼠》中农夫的妻子?
死亡在停机坪内如影随形
——嘲弄命运,如撞裂的溺水的冰
或稻米下船舶的鸭子新娘。
(莫笑愚 译)
附原文(By Frederick Feirstein):
PIGS
One took herself to market.
Another's mind went blank.
One nibbled on roast pork.
The cleverest lost his piggy bank.
Then one built a wooden house,
Another of brick,
Another sold real estate
Made of stones and sticks.
Finally apples of knowledge
Were stuck into their mouths.
Then all lay flat and traumatized
And grew fat on self-doubt.
Mice
Forgetfulness is necessary, not
Attachment to pain, guilt.
So, New York City rebuilt
When Wall Street crashed at Ground Zero.
In Turner's Paintings of a shipwrecked storm
You almost hear a party of the drowned
Tinkling their glasses as they link arm in arm,
Before the dance floor tilted down.
Some mistake courage for denial.
Some spend their lives on trial,
Impoverishing themselves on guile
Till they cough up blood with phlegm.
Who was the farmer's wife in Three Blind Mice?
Death in an apron running after them
--Taunting Fate like the drowned clink ice
Or the ship's bride ducks under rice.
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译者注:原文Ground Zero指的是911恐怖袭击坍塌的双子座世贸大楼原址。
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