Turning from the obituary page,

翻过刊载讣闻的版面，

he hears a serew tighten,

他听到旋紧螺丝的声音，

recalls a dead sparrow on a greenhouse floor.

想起一只麻雀死于温室的地板。

The mind can be dipped in a vat

心智可以浸入大桶中

when you slice an eggplant, sharpen a pencil,

在你薄切茄子，削尖铅笔，

shave. He woke slowly as light

刮胡子的时候。他缓缓醒来，光线

sank through the skylight, brightening

自天窗渗下，照亮

the bedroom. He recalls running

卧房。他想起他的舌尖

his tongue from her breast to her armpit

自她的乳房游走到她的腋窝

as she shivered and ached with pleasure

她微微颤动，感到喜悦的痛楚。

An elder holds an eagle feather,

一名长者握着一根老鹰的羽毛，

wafts cedar smoke, taps a woman

让香柏的烟味飘浮，轻扣一名女子

on her shoulders. He wants a mind

的肩膀。他要这样的心智：

as pure as a ten-lobed bowl

纯净如有着十瓣小圆耳的碗

with black glaze and white scalloped rim.

上了黑釉且以白扇贝为边饰。

A broad-tailed hummingbird whirs in the air—

宽尾的蜂鸟在空中回旋——

and in a dewdrop on a mimosa leaf

含羞草叶片上的一滴露珠

is the day's angular momentum

蕴藏着白日有棱有角的动力。