譯猶未竟 To Translate or Not, That is the Question.

夜行

夜行时发现了一只鹿
死在威尔逊河的路边。
通常，最好把它们推到峡谷里去：
路太窄，绕行恐怕造成更多伤亡。

借着尾灯闪烁的光我小心倒车,
却被尸身挡住，一只鹿, 刚死的；
尸体已经僵硬，全身快要凉透。
我把死鹿拖走; 她肚子鼓鼓的。

我的手指碰到了鹿的身子，这才明白 –
她身上仍然温热；临产的小鹿躺在里面，
还活着，一动不动，只能遗留在腹中。
在那条山路边我犹豫踯躅。

调低的停车灯朝向前方；
车盖下面引擎扑扑地震动。
排出的废气暖暖的，变成红色，我站在那光亮中；
在我们的周围，我能听见四野正竖着耳朵。

为了我们大家，我苦苦思索 -- 是否绕行 --，
最后，还是把她推进了路边的那条河。

Traveling Through the Dark

Traveling through the dark I found a deer
dead on the edge of the Wilson River road.
It is usually best to roll them into the canyon:
that road is narrow; to swerve might make more dead.
By glow of the tail-light I stumbled back of the car
and stood by the heap, a doe, a recent killing;
she had stiffened already, almost cold.
I dragged her off; she was large in the belly.
My fingers touching her side brought me the reason--
her side was warm; her fawn lay there waiting,
alive, still, never to be born.
Beside that mountain road I hesitated.
The car aimed ahead its lowered parking lights;
under the hood purred the steady engine.
I stood in the glare of the warm exhaust turning red;
around our group I could hear the wilderness listen.
I thought hard for us all--my only swerving--,
then pushed her over the edge into the river.