描述颜色之难陈黎, 张芬龄 译

THE PROBLEM OF DESCRIBING COLOR罗伯特·哈斯


如果我说——在夏天回忆着,
If I said – remembering in summer,
灰秃秃的冬季树林中
The cardinal’s sudden smudge of red
突来的红衣凤头鸟的红色污痕——
In the bare gray winter woods –

如果我说,雷诺瓦画作里
If I said, red ribbon on the cocked straw hat
牵着一条卷毛哈巴狗
Of the girl with pooched-out lips
撅起嘴唇的女孩
Dangling a wiry lapdog
歪斜草帽上的红色缎带——
In the painting by Renoir –

如果我说火,如果我说自伤口涌出的血——
If I said fire, if I said blood welling from a cut –

或者草丛里片片罂粟花芬芳了夏日的空气
Or flecks of poppy in the tar-grass scented summer air
在法诺郊外向风的山腰上——
On a wind-struck hillside outside Fano –

如果我说,垂挂于她光滑如丝耳垂上的一只红耳环,
If I said, her one red earring tugging at her silky lobe,

如果她用一叠落叶算命
If she tells fortunes with a deck of fallen leaves
直到满意为止——
Until it comes out right –

胭脂红的乳头,嘴巴——
Rouged nipple, mouth –

(你怎能不爱一个
(How could you not love a woman
算塔罗牌时作弊的女人?)
Who cheats at the Tarot?)

红色,我说。突如其来的,红色。
Red, I said. Sudden, red.


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