Stay, I said

留下来，我

to the cut flowers.

对瓶中花说。

They bowed

它们鞠躬，

their heads lower.

头更低了。

Stay, I said to the spider,

留下来，我对蜘蛛说，

who fled.

蜘蛛逃走。

Stay, leaf.

留下来，叶子。

It reddened,

它变红，

embarrassed for me and itself.

为我和它自己感到难为情。

Stay, I said to my body.

留下来，我对我的身体说。

It sat as a dog does,

它像一只狗那样坐着，

obedient for a moment,

顺从片刻，

soon starting to tremble.

又立即开始发抖。

Stay, to the earth

留下来，大地，

of riverine valley meadows,

那山谷河边的草地，

of fossiled escarpments,

镶嵌化石的崖坡，

of limestone and sandstone.

石灰岩和砂岩。

It looked back

它们回望向我

with a changing expression, in silence.

变幻着表情，保持沉默。

Stay, I said to my loves.

留下来，我对我的爱说。

Each answered,

每一个都回答，

Always.

永远。