Don’t ask me;
别问我，
I have no recipe
我写诗
for a poem. You
没秘笈。 你
know the language,
懂这门语言。
know where prose ends
知道散文结束
and poetry begins.
诗歌方开始。
There should be no
写诗应该没有
introit into a poem.
开场的祭唱。
The listener should come
听者当清醒
to and realise
并认识到
verse has been going on
乐章已奏响
for some time. Let
一段时间。 愿
there be no coughing,
不要有咳嗽，
no sighing. Poetry
不要有叹息。 诗
is a spell woven
是一个魔咒，
by consonants and vowels
由元音辅音织成,
in the absence of logic,
逻辑在此缺席。
Ask no rhyme
别问诗的
of a poem, only
韵， 因为
that it keep faith
它只忠于
with life’s rhythm.
生命的律动。
Language will trick
如果能， 语言
you if it can.
就会捉弄你。
Syntax is words’
句法是词的
way of shackling
诡计， 用来约束
the spirit. Poetry is that
精神。 诗
which arrrives at the intellect
经由心
by way of the heart.
抵达智。