A poem should be palpable and mute

诗应当摸得着，却不会说

As a globed fruit,

好像圆圆的水果，

Dumb

无语默默，

As old medallions to the thumb,

好像拇指把旧奖章抚摸，

Silent as the sleeve-worn stone

不作声,象窗台的石栏，

Of casement ledges where the moss has grown—

被衣袖磨平，长满苔藓——

A poem should be wordless

诗应当不置一词

As the flight of birds.

好像鸟飞。

                         *

*    *    *

A poem should be motionless in time

诗应当乍一看纹丝不动

As the moon climbs,

好像月亮爬上天空，

Leaving, as the moon releases

脱身飞出，好像月亮一枝枝解开

Twig by twig the night-entangled trees,

缠绕着夜色的树。

Leaving, as the moon behind the winter leaves,

脱身飞出，好像冬夜树叶后的明月

Memory by memory the mind—

抛开一段又一段的记忆——

A poem should be motionless in time

诗应当乍一看纹丝不动

As the moon climbs.

好像月亮爬上天空。

                         *

*    *    *

A poem should be equal to:

诗应当确实等于：

Not true.

不仅仅真实。

For all the history of grief

代替悲哀历史的

An empty doorway and a maple leaf.

是空荡的门口，是一叶红枫。

For love

代替爱情的

The leaning grasses and two lights above the sea—

是芳草欠身，是日月临海——

A poem should not mean

诗不应隐有所指，

But be.

应当直接就是。

译注：

麦克利许这二句诗是脍炙人口的名句，被人一再引用，显然这是因为这首诗写出了现代美国诗歌注重事物具体性的总倾向。这首诗被认为再现了意象派原则。