譯者提示:這首小詩玩的是常見的普通單詞的詞性轉換,因此有許多雙關語。
anyone lived in a pretty how town
任何人曾在很如何的小鎮生活
by E. E. Cummings
[Read by David Mason]
翻譯:沅湘
anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn’t he danced his did.
任何人曾在很如何的小鎮生活
(那麽多往下飄的鍾聲往上飄著)
春、夏、秋,冬,
唱其不為,舞其所作。
Women and men (both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn’t they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain
太陽,月亮,星辰,雨落
女女男男(都細小猥瑣)
絲毫不管任何人怎麽過,
不曾的播種,相同的收獲
children guessed (but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that no one loved him more by more
孩子們猜想(但是隻有幾個
隨著他們逐漸長大逐漸忘卻
秋,冬,春,夏)
無人愛他會愛的越來越多
when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone’s any was all to her
以此刻為何時以樹葉為葉樹
女笑男歡,男悲女哭
雪伴著鳥,靜製著動
任何人的任何是她的全部
someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
said their nevers they slept their dream
某某人們與其每個人嫁娶
舞其所舞笑其長哭,
(睡覺,醒來,希望,然後)
說的從不做,夢的都睡足
stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)
星辰,雨水,太陽,月亮
(隻有雪才能有耐心解釋
孩子們如何容易忘了記住
那麽多往下飄的鍾聲往上飄響)
one day anyone died i guess
(and no one stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was
我猜某天任何人已死亡
(無人曾俯身吻他的臉龐)
一點挨著一點曾經挨著曾經
忙碌的鄉親把他倆並排埋葬
(譯注:them,指任何人和無人,即他倆,但是英語中沒有他倆這個單詞,隻有them指兩個以上,不過them在這裏就是指代他倆。)
all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
no one and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes.
所有乘以所有,深厚乘以深厚
越多乘以越多,他們睡夢一場
無人和任何人以四月的土壤,
以精神、以肯定的假設種出希望,
Women and men(both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain
男男女女(都叮叮咚咚)
夏、秋、春、冬
收獲其播種,去去其來來
陽光月亮星辰播雨中