You ask me for a poem about love

为了帮我省钱，

in place of a wedding present, trying to save me

你想要一首关于爱情的诗

money.  For three nights I’ve lain

作为你婚礼上的礼物。

under glow-in-the-dark stars I’ve stuck to the ceiling

我连续三夜躺在床上

over my bed.  I’ve listened to the songs

望着贴在天花板上的

of the galaxy.  Well, Carmen, I would rather

夜光星星。我曾聆听过银河的歌声。好吧

give you your third set of steak knives

卡门，我宁愿送你第三套牛排刀

than tell you what I know.  Let me find you

也不愿告诉你我知道的事情

some other, store-bought present.  Don’t

让我去找些在商店可以买到的礼物吧。

make me warn you of stars, how they see us

别让我提醒你关于星星的事，

from that distance as miniature and breakable

从那个距离看，我们渺小而脆弱，

from the bride who tops the wedding cake

就像婚礼蛋糕顶端的新娘

to the Mary on Pinto dashboards

还有平托汽车仪表盘上的玛丽

holding her ripe, red heart in her hands.

捧着自己熟透，鲜红的心脏。