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AIMLESS LOVE  - by Billy Collins   泛愛 - 比爾柯林斯 （摘柯林斯2013出版的詩集）

This morning as I walked along the lakeshore,  今早在湖邊散步，
I fell in love with a wren                       我迷上了一隻雀鳥
and later in the day with a mouse                 後來又迷上一隻小鼠

the cat had dropped under the dining room table. 它是被貓丟在餐桌下的 。
In the shadows of an autumn evening,                在秋日傍晚的暮色中，
I fell for a seamstress                              我迷上了一個裁縫
still at her machine in the tailor’s window,         她還在窗邊的縫紉機前做針線，
and later for a bowl of broth,                         再後來，是碗清湯
steam rising like smoke from a naval battle.            上升的霧氣像一場海戰
 
This is the best kind of love, I thought,  我想，這是最好的一種愛
without recompense, without gifts,          不求報償、不求饋贈，
or unkind words, without suspicion,          沒有尖刻、沒有猜疑，
or silence on the telephone.                   沒有電話中的沉默。
 
The love of the chestnut,                像對栗子的喜愛，
the jazz cap and one hand on the wheel.    以及爵士帽、和單手駕車
 
No lust, no slam of the door –          沒有貪念、沒有摔門–
the love of the miniature orange tree,     像對小桔盆栽的喜愛
the clean white shirt, the hot evening shower, 對洗淨的白襯衫、炎熱傍晚的衝涼、
the highway that cuts across Florida.            以及橫貫佛羅裏達的高速公路
 
No waiting, no huffiness, or rancor –      沒有等待、沒有惱怒、沒有積怨–
just a twinge every now and then               隻有偶爾的感傷
 
for the wren who had built her nest      對於築巢的雀鳥
on a low branch overhanging the water     枝椏低低地懸在水麵
and for the dead mouse,                     對於死去的小鼠
still dressed in its light brown suit.       依然穿著淺棕色的外套
 
But my heart is always propped up        但我的心總是候著
in a field on its tripod,                  在野外的三腳架上，
ready for the next arrow.                   等待下一個目標
 
After I carried the mouse by the tail    我拎著小鼠的尾巴
to a pile of leaves in the woods,            把它放進林中厚厚的落葉
I found myself standing at the bathroom sink   然後站在自己浴室的洗臉池邊
gazing down affectionately at the soap,           脈脈地端詳著肥皂
 
so patient and soluble,                    它耐用又易溶於水           
so at home in its pale green soap dish.      安然地躺在淡綠色的肥皂盒裏
I could feel myself falling again              我感到自己又在著迷了
as I felt its turning in my wet hands           肥皂在濕潤的雙手裏轉動
and caught the scent of lavender and stone.      一陣薰衣草和湖石的氣息飄來