試譯：〈雪花蓮〉 葆拉·彌罕【Snowdrops－Paula Meehan】

雪花蓮　葆拉·彌罕（試譯：淺白）
 
很久已想着要畫它們，總沒法
將那些輕影，畫在那確實的行人路上。
 
較之純白，它們更像是從某種墨綠裏
褪淡出來。而若你屈膝跪下
 
並輕輕捻其花瓣，使之傾斜向你
——在彼等襯裙下，你將瞥見
 
一整層囤聚的金黃，好如
袐密的陽光，以及那三片
 
幼小的、綠白相間的遮篷，舒散着
某種亂人心魄的、小範圍的清芬。
 
那是二月的頭一天
而我差點便摘了一整叢，
 
為着你，我垂死的朋友，卻及時
記起：你是怎樣更傾向於
 
容讓它們萎落回大地；怎樣
你告訴我，這更能強固它的本根。
 
12/12/2024稿
 
 
Snowdrops
By Paula Meehan (from her 2009 collection Painting Rain)
 
So long trying to paint them, failing
to paint their shadows on the concrete path.
 
They are less a white than a bleaching out of green.
If you go down on your knees
 
and tilt their petals towards you
You’ll look up under their petticoats  
 
into a hoard of gold
like secret sunlight and their
 
three tiny striped green awnings that lend a
kind of frantic small-scale festive air.
 
It is the first day of February
and I nearly picked a bunch for you, 
 
my dying friend, but remembered in time
how you prefer to leave them 
 
to wither back into the earth; 
how you tell me it strengthens the stock.

圖片源自網絡。