A man who is probably my husband sails by.

一个可能是我丈夫的男人驾船经过。

But I just see a sailboat, not who steers it.

我只看到一艘帆船，并不知道谁在掌舵。

But I picture a man, in the gender of things.

但通过“事物的性别”，我在脑海中看到男人。

My husband who you will not meet.

我的丈夫，你不会见到他的。

He’s off, I don’t know, marshalling.

他走了，我不太清楚，应该在指挥——

Ideas, not soldiers. Sailing helps him think.

不是士兵，而是思想——航行帮助他思考。

I used to join him. Then we argued.

我曾经和他一起航行，后来我们吵了起来，

For a decade we argued. And sometimes

一直吵了十年。有时我们一起驾船，

sailed, though I was admittedly mostly

虽然我承认我主要是个

decorative, a mermaid on the prow.

装饰品，就像船头的美人鱼。

Whether I brought him better luck

我是否给他带来了更好的运气

is not my weather to tell. I cost him.

这不是我该知道的事情。我让他付出了代价——

Time. He costs me. More.

时间。他让我付出了代价。更多。