Your two cats squat, heraldic sphinxes, with such

你的两只猫蹲着，有纹章的斯芬克斯，流露出那种

desert indifference, such “who-the-hell-are-you?” calm,

沙漠般的淡漠，那种“你以为你是谁啊”的平静，

they rise and stride away leisurely from your touch,

它们站起身，悠闲地迈开大步，离开你的触摸，

waiting for you only. To be cradled in one arm,

只是等你。为了被一只胳膊轻抱，

belly turned upward to be stroked by a brush

肚腹上翻，为了被一把刷子轻抚

tugging burrs from their fur, eyes slitted

从它们的软毛拖出芒刺，双眼眯缝

in ecstacy. The January sun spreads its balm

在迷醉中。一月的太阳涂抹它的香膏

on earth’s upturned belly, shadows that have always fitted

在大地上翻的腹部上，影子总是塑出

their shapes, re-fit them. Breakers spread welcome.

它们形状，一再塑出它们。浪花扩散迎迓。

Accept it. Watch how spray will burst

接受它。看浪花会如何迸裂

like a cat scrambling up the side of a wall,

像一只猫爬上一面墙，

gripping, sliding, surrendering; how, at first,

抓牢，滑下，放弃；看开始时，它的爪子

its claws hook then slip with a quickening fall

如何钩着，然后飞快地滑落

to the lace-rocked foam. That is the heart, coming home,

变成花边滚动的泡沫。就是这颗心，在回家，

trying to fasten on everything it moved from,

试图抓牢它远离的一切，

how salted things only increase its thirst.

盐腌的事物如何只增加它的干渴。