I am under the covers

我盖了几层被子

waiting for the heat to come up

等着暖气管发出

with a gurgle and hiss

一阵咕噜和嘶嘶声

and the banging of the water hammer

等着水锤砰砰地敲打

that will frighten the cold out of the room.

把房间里的寒气吓跑。

And I am listening to a blues singer

我也在听一位蓝调歌手

named Precious Bryant

名叫珍奇·布莱恩特

singing a song called "Fool Me Good."

唱一曲“哄哄我吧”。

If you don't love me, baby, she sings,

如果你不爱我，宝贝，她唱道，

would you please try to fool me good?

可不可以请你尽量哄哄我？

I am also stroking the dog's head

我同时还在轻轻抚着狗的头

and writing down these words,

写下这些句子，

which means that I am calmly flying

也就是说我很镇定地无视了

in the face of the Buddhist advice

禅师的忠告

to do only one thing at a time.

即一时只应专注一事。

Just pour the tea,

只是倒茶，只是端详花蕊，

just look into the eye of the flower,

只唱一首歌—

just sing the song-

一时一事

one thing at a time

如此你将从容淡定，

and you will achieve serenity,

而这正是我想要的

which is what I would love to do

当早晨开始像电扇叶片般转动。

as the fan-blades of the morning begin to turn.

如果你不爱我，宝贝，

If you don't love me, baby,

她唱着，

she sings,

此时窗口里的白昼月在隐去，

as a day-moon fades in the window,

钟上的指针在旋转，

and the hands circle the clock,

可不可以请你尽量哄哄我？

would you please try to fool me good?

好，珍奇，我答道，

Yes, Precious, I reply,

我会尽量哄你，

I will fool you as good as I can,

但首先我得学会一心一意地

but first I have to learn to listen to you

听你唱歌，

with my whole heart,

一直等你唱完

and not until you have finished

才穿上拖鞋，

will I put on my slippers,

挤出一些牙膏，

squeeze out some toothpaste,

然后对着镜子涂上一脸泡沫，

and make a big foamy face in the mirror,

就此决心一时只专注一事——

freshly dedicated to doing one thing at a time-

你一次只唱一个音，亲爱的，

one note at a time for you, darling,

我一次只刷一颗牙。

one tooth at a time for me.