葛綠柯植物誌 (1)：Trillium

話說本來想偷懶買 Louise Glück 的譯本來讀讀就好，結果找了一下台灣和中國的版本都不喜歡……然後就忍不住自己動手了哈哈。

〈延齡草〉

醒來時我在森林裡。黑暗

顯得自然，松樹間的天空

光點密布

我什麼都不知道；只能看

看著看著，蒼穹所有的光點

漸隱合一，成為火

燃燒穿透冷杉

然後就不能再

盯著天看了會引火燒身

是否有些靈魂需要

死亡的存在，一如我需要保護？

我想若我講得夠久

就能回答這個問題，就能看見

他們所看見的，一把梯子

伸出杉林，某種事物

呼喚他們拿命去換——

想想我已經了解的東西。

我醒在森林裡一無所知；

前一刻，還不知道我的聲音

如果有誰給我聲音

會如此充滿悲傷，我的字句

像一連串哭喊。

我甚至不知道自己感覺悲傷

直到這個詞出現，直到我感覺

雨從體內湧出

Trillium

When I woke up I was in a forest. The dark

seemed natural, the sky through the pine trees

thick with many lights.

I knew nothing; I could do nothing but see.

And as I watched, all the lights of heaven

faded to make a single thing, a fire

burning through the cool firs.

Then it wasn’t possible any longer

to stare at heaven and not be destroyed.

Are there souls that need

death’s presence, as I require protection?

I think if I speak long enough

I will answer that question, I will see

whatever they see, a ladder

reaching through the firs, whatever

calls them to exchange their lives--

Think what I understand already.

I woke up ignorant in a forest;

only a moment ago, I didn’t know my voice

if one were given to me

would be so full of grief, my sentences

like cries strung together.

I didn’t even know I felt grief

until that word came, until I felt

rain streaming from me.