The unexpected has happened.

出乎意料的事情发⽣了。

Children gone, husband away,

孩⼦们离开，丈夫不在，

and I alone in hot wash

我独⾃⼀⼈在滚热、

of rocking water, pores open

摇荡的⽔中，⽑孔张开

to whatever may come.

迎接⼀切将要到来的事物。

A whirr, long whine from aging pipes—

⼀阵嗡鸣，⽼旧管道传来长久哀响——

cricket? imprisoned insect?

蟋蟀？被困的昆⾍？

echo of neighbor's saw

还是邻居锯⼦的回声

through ground not yet frozen?

穿透尚未封冻的⼟地？

I think it is my spirit,

我想那是我的灵，

coming home,

正在归家——

pushed away as I push

它曾被我推远，正如我推开

all who would draw near,

所有试图靠近的⼈，

that part of me so long lost

那部分⾃⼰，已迷失太久

that I fear never to find again,

以致我害怕再难寻回，

so long lost that I scarce

迷失太久，以致我⼏乎

remember its being.

忘却它的存在。

I have looked

我曾寻找

in quake of overwhelming loss,

于灭顶之失的战栗中，

in vile wind that assails me daily,

于⽇⽇袭来的恶风⾥，

in fire of anger, in acrid smoulder,

于愤怒之⽕，于刺⿐的闷燃，

in bitter lees of dying flame.

于残焰的苦涩渣滓中。

I have looked for you,

我⼀直在寻找你，

spirit of myself.

我⾃⼰的灵。

I hear you now

此刻我听见你

coming home

正在归家——

in the quiet settling of this house,

在这房屋静谧的沉降中，

in the lap of this hot water,

在这热⽔轻柔的拍打间，

in this being still.

在此刻全然的凝定⾥。