Long ago we quit lifting our heels

很早以前我們就不再抬起腳跟

like the others—horse, dog, and tiger—

像其他動物那樣——馬，狗，老虎——

though we thrill to their speed

但牠們逃跑的速度

as they flee. Even the mouse

讓我們興奮。即便一只老鼠

bearing the great weight of a nugget

在搬運一粒狗糧的偉大重量時

of dog food is enviably graceful.

也優雅得令人羨慕。

There is little spring to our walk,

我們的步伐缺少彈性，

we are so burdened with responsibility,

我們被責任壓迫，

all of the disciplinary actions

被所有落在我們身上

that have fallen to us, the punishments,

為紀律所約束的行為，懲戒，

the killings, and all with our feet

殺戮，與此同時，我們的腳

bound stiff in the skins of the conquered.

裹在被征服者的皮膚裏變得僵硬。

But sometimes, in the early hours,

但有時候，在淩晨，

we can feel what it must have been like

我們能體會到成為他們之一

to be one of theme, up on our toes,

是什麼滋味，踮起腳尖，

stealing past doors where others are sleeping,

偷偷經過別人熟睡的門口，

and suddenly able to see in the dark.

突然被賦予黑暗中的視力。