默溫； 孤零零的秋天

微笑按：a dried branch of bittersweet，是我從這首詩裏認識的植物。當一切成為空缺，那些物事將代替我們存在。

盡管如此，I could do anything。這是令人欣慰的。

 

那年父母去世
一位在夏天一位在秋季
相隔三個月零三天
我搬進屋子
那兒他們度過最後的歲月
房子從不歸他們
而他們依然以那樣方式擁有它
在那會兒
回聲來自無聲
在每個房間
所有那些，我們
從未能說出的
我無從可記
洋娃娃的收藏
放在瓷器櫃
盤子堆在架子上
落葉桌上的蕾絲邊
一束幹蛇藤果
擺在廳鏡前
全都依著計劃等待
房子的玻璃門
仍然關閉
日子已變冷
高高的山胡桃樹
那秋日的火焰
已兀自點燃
我可以做任何事情

（微笑 譯）

 

A SINGLE AUTUMN
By W. S. Merwin

The year my parents died
one that summer one that fall
three months and three days apart
I moved into the house
where they had lived their last years
it had never been theirs
and was still theirs in that way
for a while
echoes in every room
without a sound
all the things that we
had never been able to say
I could not remember
doll collection
in a china cabinet
plates stacked on shelves
lace on drop-leaf tables
a dried branch of bittersweet
before a hall mirror
were all planning to wait
the glass doors of the house
remained closed
the days had turned cold
and out in the tall hickories
the blaze of autumn had begun
on its own
I could do anything