Was the silkiest day of the young year,

是这年年初最柔媚的一天，

The first reconnaissance of the real spring,

真正的春天第一次的探视，

The first confidence of the sun.

太阳第一次有了自信。

That was yesterday. Last night, frost.

就在昨天。昨夜，霜冻。

And as hard as any of all winter.

像每个冬夜同样坚硬。

Mars and Saturn and the Moon dangling in a bunch

火星和土星和月亮聚成一团

On the hard, littered sky.

悬挂在坚硬、凌乱的天空中。

Today is Valentine’s day.

今天是情人节。

Earth toast-crisp. The snowdrops battered.

大地脆如吐司。雪花莲走了样。

Thrushes spluttering. Pigeons gingerly

鸫鸟扑腾着。鸽子小心翼翼地

Rubbing their voices together, in stinging cold.

把它们的声音搓合在一起，在刺骨的寒冷中。

Crows creaking, and clumsily

乌鸦嘎嘎叫着，同时笨拙地

Cracking loose.

撕裂脱身。

The bright fields look dazed.

明亮的田野看似迷惑不解。

Their expression is changed.

它们的神情变了。

They have been somewhere awful

它们曾到过某个可怕的地方

And come back without him.

然后又回来，没有他。

The trustful cattle, with frost on their backs,

那群可靠的牛，背上带着霜，

Waiting for hay, waiting for warmth,

等着干草，等着温暖，

Stand in a new emptiness.

站在新的虚空中。

From now on the land

从现在起，这大地

Will have to manage without him.

将要独立行事，不再有他。

But it hesitates, in this slow realization of light,

但它还在犹疑，在这缓缓出现的光中，

Childlike, too naked, in a frail sun,

像孩子般，一丝不挂，在微弱的太阳下，

With roots cut

它的根被切去

And a great blank in its memory.

它的记忆留下大片空白。