老年

Old age is

这是小小鸣鸟的

a flight of small

飞翔

cheeping birds

在冻结成冰的雪原上

skimming

掠过

bare trees

光秃的树枝。

above a snow glaze.

加快，跌闪

Gaining and failing

是阴暗的风

they are buffeted

挡住了它们的飞行——

by a dark wind—

但这有什么关系？

But what?

在坚硬的草茎上

On harsh weedstalks

这群鸟在休息，

the flock has rested—

雪地上

the snow

撒满种子的

is covered with broken

碎壳儿

seed husks

而丰满的笛声

and the wind tempered

那颤音

with a shrill

使风势变缓。

piping of plenty.