The midnight road
午夜之路
The midnight road, though young men tread unknowing,
Harbouring some thought of heaven, or haven hoping,
Yields peace and plenty at the end. Or is it peace,
This busy jarring on the nerves yet no outbreak?
And this is plenty, then, cloves and sweet oils, the bees' honey,
Enough kind food, enough kind speaking,
A film of people moving,
Their hands outstretched, to give and give?
And now behind the screen are vixen voices,
The midnight figures of a sulphurous brood
Stepping in nightmare on a nightmare's edges.
Above them poise the swollen clouds
That wait for breaking and that never break,
The living sky, the faces of the stars.
午夜之路,尽管年轻人未曾察觉自己走过,
隐匿少许天堂的想法,或希望安息,
最终带来安宁和富裕。或是安宁,
忙着刺激神经却依然未曾爆发?
那就足够了,丁香和橄榄油,蜂蜜,
足够多的食物,道不尽的诉说,
人群移动的一场电影,
纷纷伸出手,给予还是给予?
而此刻银幕后是悍妇的声音,
一窝泛着硫黄味的午夜人物
在梦魇里踏上噩梦的边缘。
泛起的云层在他们上方镇定,
等待打破一切又永不打破,
活生生的天空,星星的脸。
作者简介
狄兰·托马斯(Dylan Thomas,1914年10月27日—1953年11月9日),威尔士诗人、作家。最著名的作品包括十九行诗《不要温和地走进那个良夜》。