假如你在秋天到来

假如你在秋天到来，

我会轻掠过夏天

一半轻笑，一半轻蔑，

像主妇们轻轻掸去一只苍蝇。

假如一年之中我能见到你，

我会将每个月缠绕成球——

放进不同的抽屉，

不愿它们再融为一体——

假如还要几个世纪，那样长久，

我会用双手细数，

逐日递减，直到我的手指

坠入塔斯马尼亚的岛屿。

假如命由天定，我们各自——

要过完今生，才能相见

我会像扔掉果壳一样，扔掉它，

就此走向永恒——

然而现在，你我之间

等待的长短，未知，

它蜇了我，像一只顽皮的蜜蜂——

我却无法诉说，这种刺痛。

If you were coming in the Fall

If you were coming in the Fall,

I’d brush the Summer by

With half a smile, and half a spurn,

As Housewives do, a Fly.

If I could see you in a year,

I’d wind the months in balls—

And put them each in separate Drawers,

For fear the numbers fuse—

If only Centuries, delayed,

I’d count them on my Hand,

Subtracting, till my fingers dropped

Into Van Dieman’s Land.

If certain, when this life was out—

That yours and mine, should be

I’d toss it yonder, like a Rind,

And take Eternity—

But, now, uncertain of the length

Of this, that is between,

It goads me, like the Goblin Bee—

That will not state—its sting.