叶和花比

江 枫（译）

A tree's leaves may be ever so good,

So may its bark,so may its wood;

But unless you put the right thing to its root

It never will show much flower or fruit.

But I may be one who does not care

Ever to have tree bloom or bear.

Leaves for smooth and bark for rough,

Leaves and bark may be tree enough.

Some giant trees have bloom so small,

They might as well have none at all.

Late in life I have come on fern.

Now lichens are due to have their turn.

I bade men tell me which in brief,

Which is fairer,flower or leaf.

They did not have the wit to say,

Leaves by night and flowers by day.

Leaves and bark,leaves and bark,

To lean against and hear in the dark.

Petals I may have once pursued.

Leaves are all my darker mood.

一棵树上的树叶可能永远美好，

树皮可能这样，树木可能这样；

但是除非给它根部合适的东西，

它就绝不会结果不会有花开放。

不过我，也可能是这样一个人，

既不关心开花，也不关心结果。

树叶，有光滑，树皮，有粗糙，

有树叶有树皮作为树也就够了。

有些巨人般大树有花开却很小，

那样的大树也可能一朵也没有。

到了后来，我开始喜欢起蕨类，

至于苔藓，也会有轮到的机会。

我曾叫人用简短的话回答问题，

鲜花和绿叶相比较，谁，更美。

他们没有回答问题的足够智慧，

夜晚叶子美些，白天的花儿美。

树叶，和树皮，树叶，和树皮，

黑暗中，相互倾听，相偎相依，

以往，我可能一度追逐过鲜花，

如今，绿叶符合我抑郁的情绪。