《安静的世界》 by 麦克丹尼尔

《安静的世界》   林木译

杰弗里·麦克丹尼尔

 

为了让人们更加注视

彼此的眼睛，

也为了安抚哑巴，

政府决定

分配给每个人每天——

正好一百六十七个词。

 

电话响起时，我将听筒贴在耳边

却不说“喂”。在餐馆里

我指着鸡肉面汤。

我正在适应这种新的方式。

 

深夜，我拨通远方恋人的电话，

自豪地说我今天只用了五十九个词，

我把剩下的都留给你。

 

当她没有回应，

我知道她已经用完了所有的词，

于是我缓缓低语我爱你

三十二又三分之一遍。

之后，我们只是守着电话线

听着彼此的呼吸声。

 

The Quiet World

By Jeffrey McDaniel

 

In an effort to get people to look

into each other’s eyes more,

and also to appease the mutes,

the government has decided

to allot each person exactly one hundred   

and sixty-seven words, per day.

 

When the phone rings, I put it to my ear   

without saying hello. In the restaurant   

I point at chicken noodle soup.

I am adjusting well to the new way.

 

Late at night, I call my long distance lover,   

proudly say I only used fifty-nine today.   

I saved the rest for you.

 

When she doesn’t respond,

I know she’s used up all her words,   

so I slowly whisper I love you

thirty-two and a third times.

After that, we just sit on the line   

and listen to each other breathe.