How will an island die?
How will an island die?
Will it dry up then perish
or just break into pieces?
Or alone be inundated like a whale,
on Whose bone
a brand new empire grows.
"Why does the sun set?"
Asked the boy.
"The sun never sets merely arise from the other side of the sea."
Answered the man.
How are the mighty fallen!While behold,
always there comes another great.
All to dust and ash;all is vanity and vexation of spirit,
under the old sun
always there is nothing new.
King used to rule the seven seas
where abided and waited the new king;
king used to own the glorious contract
which built the bone and body of new king;
they share the words of preachers,
also the belief;
they love the same rationalism and liberalism;
also the same dream;
Auden buried his poet in New York while
London lied T.S.Eilot forever;
the second Discovery set its foot on road from Florida while
the first one from Devon;
long time ago,
rose became the color of his blood and flesh,
as if son must kill his father,
for being an individual of will,
for inheriting the crown.
Finally the brilliant thirteen stars turned into
the new old sun.
How will an island die?
To his place where he arose，
like all the rivers run into the sea.
"Don't say sorry to me, my child.
One generation passeth away, and another cometh;
unto the place from whence the rivers come,
thither they return again.
I'am going to be home."
Said the king,
and cried the new king.
*
一座岛屿将会如何死亡
一座岛屿将会如何死亡？
干涸然后枯萎，
或者只是破碎？
或者像鲸鱼一样孤独地被水淹没，
在他的骨骼上，
一个全新的帝国生长。
“为什么太阳落下？”
男孩问道。
“太阳从不落下，只是从海的另一边升起。”
男人回答。
一世之雄而今安在！但是，看啊，
另一个伟大总会诞生。
一切归于尘土，一切都是虚空，
旧太阳底下，
并无新事。
国王曾主宰七海，
那里新的国王存在并等待着；
国王曾拥有光荣的契约，
它们构成新的国王的骨架与身躯；
他们共享传道者的语言，
以及信仰；
他们热爱同样的理性主义与自由主义，
以及同样的理想；
奥登在纽约埋葬他的诗人而
伦敦长眠着T.S.艾略特；
第二艘“发现号”从佛罗里达开始他的旅程而
第一艘开始于德文；
多年以前，
玫瑰成为他血肉之躯的颜色，
仿佛儿子必须杀死他的父亲，
为成为有意志的个体，
为继承那顶王冠。
最终，十三颗璀璨的星辰成为了
新的旧的太阳。
一座岛屿将会如何死亡？
回归他所来之处，
正如所有江河都流向海。
“别对我说抱歉，我的孩子。
一代逝去，一代又来；
江河从何处流，仍归于何处。
我即将抵家。”
国王说，而
新的国王哭泣。
-fin-
注释在评论。
