麋鹿每年春天都会丢弃鹿角。

The elk discards his antlers every spring.

它们重新萌发，生长，每天长出

They rebud, they grow, they are growing

一寸，在我们说着话的时候，

an inch a day to form a rococo rack

长成一个五英尺宽的洛可可式鹿角架：

with a five-foot spread even as we speak:

起初是软骨，覆盖着茸毛；

cartilage at first, covered with velvet;

可弯曲，柔嫩的筋膜，然而

bendable, tender gristle, yet

注定要骨化变硬，嫩皮脱落，

destined to ossify, the velvet sloughed off,

破烂似的挂在赤杨和灌木丛中。

hanging in tatters from alders and scrub growth.

现在看起来再坚硬，都曾很痛。

No matter how hardened it seems there was pain.

雪地上的血迹，来自摩擦、摩擦、摩擦。

Blood on the snow from rubbing, rubbing, rubbing.

多么重的枝型烛台啊，每年都要

What a heavy candelabrum to be borne

抬出来，每一年都变得更精致：

forth, each year more elaborately turned:

专刊专号，以她命名的奖项。

the special issues, the prizes in her name.

壁炉上方，已故麋鹿的角闪闪发光。

Above the mantle the late elk’s antlers gleam.