You drag the boat across the tallgrass, shake out

你拖着小船穿过高高的草丛，抖落出那些

the black snakes that made a provisional home under the bow

在船头底下度过整整一个冬天的黑蛇。

through the length of winter. The rope undone

几个月来头一次，

for the first time in months, it slews behind you

绳索终于解开，它在你身后滑行，

through dirt, then shallow water, a thin trail

先是拖过尘土，继而浅水，一道细细的痕迹

that follows you deeper into the afternoon, submits to the pull

跟随你越来越深地进入午后，

of you, or perhaps the pull of the other shore. So sure you are

顺从着你的——或许是

in your solitude, and I am startled to sit here, witness it.

彼岸的牵引。你那样笃定

How smooth is your sailing away, this measured

于自己的孤独，而我坐在这里，

but steady drifting under pink, penumbral light. When we first met

惊惶于亲眼所见。

you portioned your stories, or they came brash, a light tower’s

你启航的姿态是那样丝滑——

unpredictable beam. Resolving to muteness the year your father

一种仔细思忖、却毫不动摇的漂流，

could no longer hear you, then woodwork, then a decade

在粉色的半明半暗的光中。初见时，

of travel. Tulum. The Mont Blanc where the five-foot two French guide

你讲述你的故事——有时克制地分配，

hauled you out of a crevasse. The Norwegian girl you met at a bar

有时突兀地闪现，如灯塔不定的光束。

in Cambodia who followed you back, wanting

那一年你决意沉默，让父亲再也听不见你的音讯，

to show you the ring on her labia. Her Janis Joplin tattoo. I follow you now

然后去做做木工，继而

with my late summer eyes. Why do I love watching you like that,

十年漂泊：图卢姆。勃朗峰——

cruising away from me? As if you are teaching me something

那位一米五七的法国向导

about love and distance. Two red-tailed hawks surrender

从冰裂缝中将你拉出。

their shadows to the thicket of spruces. You stare up,

还有那位在柬埔寨酒吧相识的挪威女孩，

then past your left shoulder. I think, at me. The wind tugs at every

她跟你回家，只为

boat in our world. A hushed push and pull, a measure of faith

给你看她阴唇上的环，

travels the distance between us. Buoyant as day, thin as light.

还有她的贾尼斯·乔普林纹身。

而我如今因为我晚夏的眼睛随你回家。

为何我如此爱看你——

就这样，驾船远离我？

仿佛你在教我什么——

关于爱和距离。两只红尾鹰

将它们的影子交付给云杉丛。你仰头，

然后目光掠过左肩，我想，那是在看我。

风牵动着我们世界的每一艘船。

一种寂静的推与拉，一种对信念的度量，

在我们之间往复。轻盈如白昼，纤薄如光。