Twilight Comes　黄昏来临

Twilight Comes
by Hayden Carruth
After Wang Wei

Twilight comes to the little farm
At winter\'s end. The snowbanks
High as the eaves, which melted
And became pitted during the day,
Are freezing again, and crunch
Under the dog\'s foot. The mountains
From their place behind our shoulders
Lean close a moment, as if for a
Final inspection, but with kindness,
A benediction as the darkness
Falls. It is my fiftieth year. Stars
Come out, one by one with a softer
Brightness, like the first flowers
Of spring. I hear the brook stirring,
Trying its music beneath the ice.
I hear - almost, I am not certain -
Remote tinklings; perhaps sheepbells
On the green side of a juniper hill
Or wineglasses on a summer night.
But no. My wife is at her work,
There behind yellow windows. Supper
Will be soon. I crunch the icy snow
And tilt my head to study the last

Silvery light of the western sky
In the pine boughs. I smile. Then
I smile again, just because I can.
I am not an old man. Not yet.

黄昏来临

冬末, 黄昏降临到这座
小农场. 高达屋檐的雪堆
白天已经融化,布满麻点,
而现在又已冰冻, 在狗爪下
嘎吱作响. 位于我们肩后的群山
略前倾一会儿,好象做最后一次
检查, 但是带有善意,
是黑暗降临时的祝福.
我时年五十. 星星
出来了, 一颗接一颗, 带着
柔和的亮光, 如同春天
的第一束花. 我听到小溪在搅动,
在冰底下尝试弹奏音乐.
我听到-几乎, 我不大肯定-
遥远的叮当声;可能是羊铃声
来自绿色的杜松山坡
或者夏夜的酒杯.
但是,不. 妻子在工作,
就在那黄色窗子后面.晚餐
马上就好. 我吱吱踩着冰雪,
仰头观察

西边空中最后的一道银光
洒在松树枝中.我微笑. 然后
又一次微笑, 仅仅因为我可以.
我不是一个老人. 还不是.

4/16/2013
(草译）