All insects have them yet the luna moth leaves

所有昆虫都有嘴，唯独月蛾

its mouth and the memory of hunger behind

把嘴和饥饿的记忆

with its caterpillar past. Now it survives by

一同遗忘在毛虫的过去。如今它只靠

absorbing moonlight, hence, its name. There’s

吸收月光生存，由此得名。

so much moon for the nocturnal feasting, we

月光如此之多足够它夜夜盛宴，

witness its depletion each month. The moon,

于是我们眼看它们月复一月不断消亡。

so helpless to the millions of insects that fly

月亮，

by to take their share of luminescence.

无助地任由百万昆虫飞过，

The moon, so large we can see it, even when

各自分得一份光辉。月亮，是如此巨大

we don’t mean to, is also so far away we can’t

以至我们总能看见它，无论有意还是无意；

hear its cry for help. It’s a silent demise, like

可它也如此遥远，我们听不见它的求救。

a drop of sweat vanishing on the hot sand.

这是无声的消亡，像一滴汗水在炽热的沙粒中蒸发。

Ice melting in the embrace of a glass of water.

像一块冰在一杯水的怀抱中溶化。

The luna moth has no mouth, we’re told. But

人们说月蛾没有嘴。

neither does the moon. It dies of the opposite

但月亮也没有。它死于被忽视的反面——

of neglect, which is overindulgence, and nary

骄纵过度，它的月光中从不

an utterance of objection from its moon glow.

包含一点抗议，

The moon perishes from too much attention,

它在过度的注视逐渐凋残，

such vanity, such self-centeredness. It doesn’t

如此虚荣，如此自恋。

need a mouth because poets and lovers

它不需要嘴，因为诗人与恋人

are its spokespeople, an entire publicity machine

就是它的代言人，一整台宣传机器

at its disposal to sing its praises, punch-drunk

替它唱赞歌，酒气冲天，

and, truth be told, pernicious. Enough already,

要我说还包藏祸心。够了吧，

babbling bards and lovesick turtledoves, the moon

唠叨的诗人们，痴情的斑鸠们，月亮

gets plenty of play. That’s why it keeps coming

早已获得了足够的戏码。

back for more. It feeds on flattery the way

正因如此，它才不断返场，

the luna moths drink from its arrogant beams.

它以谄媚为食，正如月蛾吮饮它傲慢的光束。

Maybe we have it all wrong and the moths

或许我们全弄错了，或许这些蛾子

are trying to save us susceptible humans from

是在试图拯救我们这些多情的人类，

this prison of codependence: ego enabling ego.

免于这座互相依赖的囚笼：ego和ego彼此成就。

Luna moths, our diminutive heroes on a fool’s

月蛾，这些渺小的英雄，

errand, without mouths—or stomachs!—live only

在徒劳中奔波，没有嘴——也没有胃！

for a week or so, yet spend that precious time

生命仅仅一周上下，

delivering the same unheeded message:

却在那宝贵的时光里反复传递着无人理会的消息：

          Don’t waste your life on those who

            不要把你的一生浪费在那些

          will never love the way you do.

            永远不会像你那样去爱的人身上。