Before Dark 天黑前

From the porch at dusk I watchcd

a king fisher wild in flight

he could only have made for joy

He came down the river，splashing

against the water's djmmjng face

like a skipped rock，passing

on down out of sight. And still

I could hear the splashes

farther and farther away

asit grew darker He came back

the same way，dusky as his shadow，

sudden beyond the willows.

The splashes went on out ofhearing.

It was dark then. Somewhere

the night had accommodated him

-at the place he was headed for

or where，led by his delight，

he came.

黄昏时，我在门廊上看着

翠鸟尽情飞翔

本来只为快乐。

他顺流而下，

拍击暗淡的水面

就像打水漂的石头，掠过

飞出视线之外。而且我

仍然能听到

越来越远的飞溅声

随着天越来越黑。他原路回来了，

昏暗如他的影子，

突然越过柳树。

水花继续飞溅但却听不见。

那时天很黑。在某处

夜已经为他安排好了住宿

一一就在他去向的地方

或者在喜悦的引导下，

他到来之处。

Notes

1.porch 门廊

2.splash 拍打着水游

3.dim （使）变暗