英诗汉译：如何道歉

武夷山

如何道歉

作者： Ellen Bass（美国当代女诗人）

译者：武夷山©

烧一条大鱼——挑那种刺儿多的，

需要技术好才能剔出鱼骨架的，

也许就挑侵入五大湖的亚洲飞鲢，

它将其他鱼赶尽杀绝。

如果您不住在某个湖的附近，

那您还得专程去一趟。

为表明您是真心道歉，走着去最棒，

但您亦可乘火车前往，

让火车的颠簸抚慰您的心房。

对方同意接受您的安慰

无论您做什么还是啥也不做，

可怜又美好的人啊。

当我母亲住院时

家里的清洁卫生只能靠我和女儿了

这个家母亲怕是回不来了。

没想到她缓过来了

疑心重重地问道：

你们怎么能把我的鞋全给扔了呢？

于是你需要一条船。租也行，买也行，

但是，为了修复地球环境，

最好自己造一条。

取自北美乔柏的薄木条是再好不过了，

但是别砍树哦。

如果您进一步想招，

可去拆毁的谷仓和倒地的树木那里找材料。

总有人有厂房设备吧。

总有人会租给您工具吧。

刨木头产生的锯末和刨花的香气

使得时光也甜美无比。

每夜我们都要做360亿个美梦。

在某一个夜里，我们可将失去的一切给梦回来。

因此烤一烤不太新鲜的肉吧。

把自己从烦人的故事里解脱出来。

然后，捧上鲜美多汁的鱼去送给您伤害的那个人。

作为悬置于时光中的人，有很多害怕的东西，

但这件事很安全。

您不需要防卫。

这只不过是表明

您还活着的另一方式。

原诗如下：

HOW TO APOLOGIZE
by Ellen Bass

Cook a large fish — choose one with many bones, a skeleton
you will need skill to expose, maybe the flying
silver carp that’s invaded the Great Lakes, tumbling
the others into oblivion. If you don’t live
near a lake, you’ll have to travel.
Walking is best and shows you mean it,
but you could take a train and let yourself
be soothed by the rocking
on the rails. It’s permitted
to receive solace for whatever you did
or didn’t do, pitiful, beautiful
human. When my mother was in the hospital,
my daughter and I had to clear out the home
she wouldn’t return to. Then she recovered
and asked, incredulous,
How could you have thrown out all my shoes?
So you’ll need a boat. You could rent or buy,
but, for the sake of repairing the world,
build your own. Thin strips
of Western red cedar are perfect,
but don’t cut a tree. There’ll be
a demolished barn or downed trunk
if you venture further.
And someone will have a mill.
And someone will loan you tools.
The perfume of sawdust and the curls
that fall from your plane
will sweeten the hours. Each night
we dream thirty-six billion dreams. In one night
we could dream back everything lost.
So grill the pale flesh.
Unharness yourself from your weary stories.
Then carry the oily, succulent fish to the one you hurt.
There is much to fear as a creature
caught in time, but this
is safe. You need no defense. This
is just another way to know
you are alive.