Stay, I said

留下來，我

to the cut flowers.

對瓶中花說。

They bowed

它們鞠躬，

their heads lower.

頭更低了。

Stay, I said to the spider,

留下來，我對蜘蛛說，

who fled.

蜘蛛逃走。

Stay, leaf.

留下來，葉子。

It reddened,

它變紅，

embarrassed for me and itself.

為我和它自己感到難為情。

Stay, I said to my body.

留下來，我對我的身體說。

It sat as a dog does,

它像一隻狗那樣坐著，

obedient for a moment,

順從片刻，

soon starting to tremble.

又立即開始發抖。

Stay, to the earth

留下來，大地上

of riverine valley meadows,

溪谷間的草地，

of fossiled escarpments,

鑲嵌化石的崖坡，

of limestone and sandstone.

石灰岩和砂岩。

It looked back

它們回望向我

with a changing expression, in silence.

變幻著表情，保持沉默。

Stay, I said to my loves.

留下來，我對我的愛說。

Each answered,

每一個都回答，

Always.

永遠。