试看仅仅单个⾳节如何——

Notice how just one syllable—

譬如杰克——能够舒展并化作

say Jack—can expand and become

世界，圆满⽽完整，

the world, round and whole,

当它是⼀个孩童的名

when it is a child’s name

⽽于母亲唇间成形。

being formed by a mother’s mouth.

我曾在商场机场，餐馆⽕车，

I’ve overheard women in stores and airports,

⽆意间听到⼥⼈们

restaurants and trains, sprinkling their talk

在交谈时撒落新⽣婴孩

with the name of a brand new baby or

或成年⼦⼥的名字，⽐如摩根或诺拉，

a grown child, say Morgen or Nora,

迈克尔或凯尔，约瑟夫或艾娃-罗斯，

Michael or Kyle, Joseph or Ava-Rose,

每个元⾳和辅⾳都吟唱得

singing each vowel and consonant

清脆分明，共振

so they stand out, resonate

如纯澈的钟声，⽆论奏响的

a pure bell whether the tone struck

是骄傲强健的⼤调，

be proud and strong, a major key,

还是低徊的柔板⼩⾳。

or a diminished minor note.

有时，当我⼥⼉捕捉到

Sometimes, when my daughter catches

她⾃⼰的名字，伊莱恩·梅，

her own name, Elaine May, part of a story

从我正电话⾥给姐妹讲的故事中掠过

I am telling a sister over the phone,

之后她会半嗔半恼地问，

later she’ll ask, quasi-annoyed,

你刚才是在说我吗？

were you talking about me?

是啊，我⽆⽌境地，毫不羞怯地，讲述着

Yes, endlessly, shamelessly, I tell stories

关于你的故事。我念着那些流动的⾳节，

about you. I say those fluid syllables,

为寓意——光明——⽽选

chosen for the meaning—light—

为韵律，为纪念你的祖母们，

the music, and to honor your grandmothers,

在舍弃⽆数名字之后选定。

chosen after discarding countless names.

是啊，我⼀遍又⼀遍地吟咏它们，

Yes, I say them again and again and wonder

并惊异于它们已成世界。莫⾮

at the world they have become. Is this

上帝也如此唤我们的名？是否因此有时

how God says our names? Is this why sometimes

当我听见风拂过树叶簌簌作响，

when I hear the wind rustling through the trees,

总会转⾝侧⽿聆听？

I turn and listen?