It generally begins with tricks. An animal show

动物表演常用小把戏开场，拥有

With the serried ranks, eyes and medals front:

紧凑的观众席，目光和勋章朝向前方：

A trio of seals, juggling balls on their noses, slim

三只海豹用鼻尖耍球，三个苗条

Flexi-statues, synchronised by their trainers

又灵活的雕塑，因训导而同步

Like Broadway chorines, or men mooching on street corners,

像百老汇女郎，像街角闲逛的男人，

Lissomely draped around fire hydrants. And then he came,

在消防栓四周慵懒地躺。然后它来了，

This young penguin with the name of a German philosopher,

这只与德国哲学家同名的年轻企鹅，

Who just stood there, didn’t do anything, couldn’t do anything,

就站在那里，什么也不做，什么也做不了，

A hero of early vaudeville, of flickering black-and-white

它是歌舞杂耍和雪花屏喜剧电影的

Comedies, imperilled by flights of steps, by a windy world.

主角，陷于一段段楼梯和多风的世界。

Secret favourite of a minority of the childish electorate,

它是少数孩子气选民的秘密宠儿，

He was the butler in tails, teetering on the brink of the pool,

是身穿燕尾服的男仆，在池边蹒跚，

Shivering on his flippers, swishing his wings. His performance

颤抖于脚蹼之上，扑打翅膀。它的表演

Faultlessly abject, down to the exit, sloping off, without a bow.

被完美地忽视，直到溜出场地，没有鞠躬。