What am I? Nosing here, turning leaves over

我是什么？在这儿嗅着，掀开树叶

Following a faint stain on the air to the river's edge

追随空气中一个模糊的污点来到河边

I enter water. Who am I to split

我下水。我是什么，劈开

The glassy grain of water looking upward I see the bed

水的透明的纹理向上打量我看见头顶上

Of the river above me upside down very clear

倒悬的河床异常清澈

What am I doing here in mid-air? Why do I find

我在这半空中干什么？为什么我发现

this frog so interesting as I inspect its most secret

这只蛙如此有趣当我透视它最隐秘的

interior and make it my own? Do these weeds

内部并把它占为己有？这些杂草

know me and name me to each other have they

认识我？互相叫着我的名字它们

seen me before do I fit in their world? I seem

见过我吗？我在它们的世界里合适吗？我似乎

separate from the ground and not rooted but dropped

与大地分开没有了根但碰巧又什么都没有

out of nothing casually I've no threads

丧失我没有一根线

fastening me to anything I can go anywhere

把自己栓在任何东西上我可以去任何地方

I seem to have been given the freedom

这个地方的自由好象已经

of this place what am I then? And picking

交给了我那么我是什么？从这

bits of bark off this rotten stump gives me

腐朽的树桩上掰下一块树皮无法让我

no pleasure and it's no use so why do I do it

欢乐它毫无用处所以我一定要收拾它

me and doing that have coincided very queerly

奇怪的是这么做纯属巧合

But what shall I be called am I the first

但我将被称做什么我是至高无上的吗

have I an owner what shape am I what

我有一个主子吗我是什么形状我是什么

shape am I am I huge if I go

形状我是庞大的吗如果我走向

to the end on this way past these trees and past these trees

这条路的尽头穿过这些树再穿过这些树

till I get tired that's touching one wall of me

直到筋疲力竭那是一个逼近的东西暂时地

for the moment if I sit still how everything

围住了我假如我还坐在这里每一样东西

stops to watch me I suppose I am the exact centre

会怎样停下来观望我我想我是绝对的中心

but there's all this what is it roots

但也仅此而已而它是什么根

roots roots roots and here's the water

根根根而这儿又是

again very queer but I'll go on looking

水真奇怪但我将继续寻找