初飞的彩色女士

两周前，孩子们收到了我们去年订购的两盒蝴蝶彩色女士幼虫(Painted Lady Caterpillars)，共十条，灰色的幼虫很不显眼，她们吃着盒里的食物，很快长大了，盒子太小，我们将长大的幼虫移到蝴蝶网里，很快她们在网里织丝作蛹，几天前美丽的“彩色女士”(Painted Ladies) 纷纷出蛹，翅膀风干后，轻轻地在网里飞舞。上周末我们刚在家后院新种了一株“蝴蝶灌木”(Butterfly Bush)用来迎接初飞的蝴蝶。

昨天下午我们将蝴蝶网带到后院，在蝴蝶灌木的紫色花丛旁打开，放飞蝴蝶。蝴蝶纷纷翩翩起舞飞出网，飞向蓝天，只有最后几只，很迟疑，很小心地先爬上蝴蝶灌木的紫花上。我录制了她们小心翼翼的第一步：
傍晚先生割草时，看到一只彩色女士停在草地上，他张开手掌，彩色女士飞到先生手中，停在他食指上，先生很希奇，那时孩子们正在对面邻居家前院玩耍，他带着蝴蝶到邻居家，给孩子们看他指上的彩色女士，彩色女士很安宁，似乎知道先生是她主人。后来先生将蝴蝶放飞在花木旁，蝴蝶曾一度往先生手心走，似乎不愿离开主人。那时我在屋内错过了，听了故事很感动，遂作Narrative Poem 叙事诗记载于下。

Painted Ladies Ready to Fly 初飞的彩色女士

 

Ten Painted Ladies 十只彩色女士

Adorned with dots of orange and black 橘色和黑色交织点缀

Waiting to soar -- 等着飞翔 --

 

It was only just 2 weeks ago 只在两周前

They were shipped to us -- 我们收到他们

Total ten tiny caterpillars  一共十条微小的幼虫

Slowly they ate the prepared food 慢慢地吃着预备的食物

Quickly they grew – bigger and bigger 很快地她们越长越大

Soon they started to weave 随即她们开始织网

The cocoons they called home 作蛹为家

One day when we were out 一天我们外出时

They came out of cocoons one by one 她们一个接一个地破蛹而出

Wings were still wet and weak 翅膀依然湿漉柔弱

But patiently they waited and waited 但她们耐心地等待

Until wings were dry and strong 直到羽翼风干强壮

 

Now that they were ready to explore 如今她们已准备探险

We took the cage to the backyard 我们将网笼带到后院

Right next to our new-planted Butterfly Bush 放在新种的蝴蝶灌木丛旁

One by one they flew out 一个接一个她们飞出网

Up and down dancing in the sky 上上下下地在天空翩翩起舞

Some flew as high as the tip of the trees 有的飞得高至树梢

Except the last couple 唯有最后几只

Two came up to the rim of the cage 有两只爬到笼沿边

They sat there, pondering, 她们坐在那儿，思量着，

Flickering their wings, hesitating 扑闪着羽翼，迟疑着

Gingering they moved their antennas, experimenting 小心翼翼地移动触角，尝试着

 

“Why not tilting them close to the Butterfly Bush”“为什么不把她们倾斜放到蝴蝶花木边”

Kids'Dad suggested -- 孩子爸建议着 --

It turned out to be an excellent idea 这确是个好主意

The fragrance of purple flowers, so deep and sound~~~ 紫花的芬芳，如此浓厚~~~

One painted lady tiptoed out 一只彩色女士踮着脚出笼

Landing smoothly on the flower petals 平缓地移到花瓣上

A beautiful scene that we would cherish 美丽的图景我们将珍藏

Another painted lady soon followed -- 另一只彩色女士随即跟出 --

The purple flower petals beckoned 紫色花瓣招摇着

“Come and enjoy – this is your new home.”“过来享受-这是你们的新家”

In the sunny breezy June afternoon 在晴朗微风轻拂的六月午后

 

Twilight， kids’Dad was mowing the yard 黄昏时，孩子爸正割草

He found one painted lady on the grass 他看到草地上一只彩色女士

Gently, he opened his palm               轻轻地，他张开手掌

The butterfly flew right up to his pointer 蝴蝶飞到他手上，停在他食指上

Kids were playing on the neighbor’s yard 孩子们正在邻居家院里玩

He walked across to show the kids       他走过街去给孩子们看

With the butterfly on his hand all the time 带着手上的蝴蝶

So amazingly peaceful as if she recognized her owner 

奇妙般的安宁，似乎蝴蝶已认出她的主人

 

Night fell, and it came down with heavy rain 夜幕降临，大雨倾盆

We couldn’t help wondering 我们禁不住寻思

Were they resting in the trees 她们是否在树里休息

Or hiding in the bushes 还是躲在花木丛中

Were the wings ready to withstand 她们的羽翅能否担当

The baptism of strong wind and harsh rain 烈风暴雨的洗礼

 

From caterpillar to butterfly 从幼虫到蝴蝶

They have transformed so much 她们变换至多

It was already a miraculous story 本已是神奇的故事

They will learn to survive in rainy night 她们将学会在雨夜生存

And tomorrow is a bright new day -- 而明天是一个亮丽的新日子 --

With hope perches on the wings     希望栖息在羽翼

And faith settles in the heart     信念驻留于心中

写于2008年6月