《我被指责沉溺于过去 》 by 克利夫顿

我被指责沉溺于过去   林木译

——露西尔·克利夫顿

 

他们指责我沉溺于过去，仿佛它是我塑造的

仿佛是我用手

雕刻了它。我没有。

这个过去在我来时

就在等我

一个可怕的无名的婴儿，

而我带着母性的痒意

将它抱在怀里

为它取名

历史。

如今她越来越像人类，

每日学习语言，

记住面孔、名字与日期。

当她足够强大，能踏上旅途

小心了，她独自一人，一定会去。

 

i am accused of tending to the past

By Lucille Clifton

 

i am accused of tending to the past as if i made it,

as if i sculpted it

with my own hands. i did not.

this past was waiting for me

when i came,

a monstrous unnamed baby,

and i with my mother’s itch

took it to breast

and named it

History.

she is more human now,

learning language everyday,

remembering faces, names and dates.

when she is strong enough to travel

on her own, beware, she will.