初飛的彩色女士

兩周前，孩子們收到了我們去年訂購的兩盒蝴蝶彩色女士幼蟲(Painted Lady Caterpillars)，共十條，灰色的幼蟲很不顯眼，她們吃著盒裏的食物，很快長大了，盒子太小，我們將長大的幼蟲移到蝴蝶網裏，很快她們在網裏織絲作蛹，幾天前美麗的“彩色女士”(Painted Ladies) 紛紛出蛹，翅膀風幹後，輕輕地在網裏飛舞。上周末我們剛在家後院新種了一株“蝴蝶灌木”(Butterfly Bush)用來迎接初飛的蝴蝶。

昨天下午我們將蝴蝶網帶到後院，在蝴蝶灌木的紫色花叢旁打開，放飛蝴蝶。蝴蝶紛紛翩翩起舞飛出網，飛向藍天，隻有最後幾隻，很遲疑，很小心地先爬上蝴蝶灌木的紫花上。我錄製了她們小心翼翼的第一步：
傍晚先生割草時，看到一隻彩色女士停在草地上，他張開手掌，彩色女士飛到先生手中，停在他食指上，先生很希奇，那時孩子們正在對麵鄰居家前院玩耍，他帶著蝴蝶到鄰居家，給孩子們看他指上的彩色女士，彩色女士很安寧，似乎知道先生是她主人。後來先生將蝴蝶放飛在花木旁，蝴蝶曾一度往先生手心走，似乎不願離開主人。那時我在屋內錯過了，聽了故事很感動，遂作Narrative Poem 敘事詩記載於下。

Painted Ladies Ready to Fly 初飛的彩色女士

 

Ten Painted Ladies 十隻彩色女士

Adorned with dots of orange and black 橘色和黑色交織點綴

Waiting to soar -- 等著飛翔 --

 

It was only just 2 weeks ago 隻在兩周前

They were shipped to us -- 我們收到他們

Total ten tiny caterpillars  一共十條微小的幼蟲

Slowly they ate the prepared food 慢慢地吃著預備的食物

Quickly they grew – bigger and bigger 很快地她們越長越大

Soon they started to weave 隨即她們開始織網

The cocoons they called home 作蛹為家

One day when we were out 一天我們外出時

They came out of cocoons one by one 她們一個接一個地破蛹而出

Wings were still wet and weak 翅膀依然濕漉柔弱

But patiently they waited and waited 但她們耐心地等待

Until wings were dry and strong 直到羽翼風幹強壯

 

Now that they were ready to explore 如今她們已準備探險

We took the cage to the backyard 我們將網籠帶到後院

Right next to our new-planted Butterfly Bush 放在新種的蝴蝶灌木叢旁

One by one they flew out 一個接一個她們飛出網

Up and down dancing in the sky 上上下下地在天空翩翩起舞

Some flew as high as the tip of the trees 有的飛得高至樹梢

Except the last couple 唯有最後幾隻

Two came up to the rim of the cage 有兩隻爬到籠沿邊

They sat there, pondering, 她們坐在那兒，思量著，

Flickering their wings, hesitating 撲閃著羽翼，遲疑著

Gingering they moved their antennas, experimenting 小心翼翼地移動觸角，嚐試著

 

“Why not tilting them close to the Butterfly Bush”“為什麽不把她們傾斜放到蝴蝶花木邊”

Kids'Dad suggested -- 孩子爸建議著 --

It turned out to be an excellent idea 這確是個好主意

The fragrance of purple flowers, so deep and sound~~~ 紫花的芬芳，如此濃厚~~~

One painted lady tiptoed out 一隻彩色女士踮著腳出籠

Landing smoothly on the flower petals 平緩地移到花瓣上

A beautiful scene that we would cherish 美麗的圖景我們將珍藏

Another painted lady soon followed -- 另一隻彩色女士隨即跟出 --

The purple flower petals beckoned 紫色花瓣招搖著

“Come and enjoy – this is your new home.”“過來享受-這是你們的新家”

In the sunny breezy June afternoon 在晴朗微風輕拂的六月午後

 

Twilight， kids’Dad was mowing the yard 黃昏時，孩子爸正割草

He found one painted lady on the grass 他看到草地上一隻彩色女士

Gently, he opened his palm               輕輕地，他張開手掌

The butterfly flew right up to his pointer 蝴蝶飛到他手上，停在他食指上

Kids were playing on the neighbor’s yard 孩子們正在鄰居家院裏玩

He walked across to show the kids       他走過街去給孩子們看

With the butterfly on his hand all the time 帶著手上的蝴蝶

So amazingly peaceful as if she recognized her owner 

奇妙般的安寧，似乎蝴蝶已認出她的主人

 

Night fell, and it came down with heavy rain 夜幕降臨，大雨傾盆

We couldn’t help wondering 我們禁不住尋思

Were they resting in the trees 她們是否在樹裏休息

Or hiding in the bushes 還是躲在花木叢中

Were the wings ready to withstand 她們的羽翅能否擔當

The baptism of strong wind and harsh rain 烈風暴雨的洗禮

 

From caterpillar to butterfly 從幼蟲到蝴蝶

They have transformed so much 她們變換至多

It was already a miraculous story 本已是神奇的故事

They will learn to survive in rainy night 她們將學會在雨夜生存

And tomorrow is a bright new day -- 而明天是一個亮麗的新日子 --

With hope perches on the wings     希望棲息在羽翼

And faith settles in the heart     信念駐留於心中

寫於2008年6月