《我被指責沉溺於過去 》 by 克利夫頓

我被指責沉溺於過去   林木譯

——露西爾·克利夫頓

 

他們指責我沉溺於過去，仿佛它是我塑造的

仿佛是我用手

雕刻了它。我沒有。

這個過去在我來時

就在等我

一個可怕的無名的嬰兒，

而我帶著母性的癢意

將它抱在懷裏

為它取名

曆史。

如今她越來越像人類，

每日學習語言，

記住麵孔、名字與日期。

當她足夠強大，能踏上旅途

小心了，她獨自一人，一定會去。

 

i am accused of tending to the past

By Lucille Clifton

 

i am accused of tending to the past as if i made it,

as if i sculpted it

with my own hands. i did not.

this past was waiting for me

when i came,

a monstrous unnamed baby,

and i with my mother’s itch

took it to breast

and named it

History.

she is more human now,

learning language everyday,

remembering faces, names and dates.

when she is strong enough to travel

on her own, beware, she will.