康明斯：愛的十四行詩

德國女畫家 Paula Modersohn Becker 自畫像

being to timelessness as it’s to time,
存在於時間之外，一如於時間裡，
love did no more begin than love will end;
愛不造就開始，也不造就結束；
where nothing is to breathe to stroll to swim
無為而為的行走、游水或呼吸，
love is the air the ocean and the land
愛是空氣、海洋與大地。

(do lovers suffer? all divinities
(愛者受苦嗎？一切神聖
proudly descending put on deathful flesh:
榮耀的下凡穿上無常的肉體：
are lovers glad? only their smallest joy’s
愛者歡欣嗎？自願望昇起的
a universe emerging from a wish)
整個宇宙只是最微渺的欣喜)

love is the voice under all silences,
愛是一切靜默之下的聲音，
the hope which has no opposite in fear;
是希望，沒有對立，不知恐懼；
the strength so strong mere force is feebleness:
是力量，強大到只是純然的柔順心：
the truth more first than sun more last than star
是真理，先於太陽，後於繁星。

– do lovers love? why then to heaven with hell.
– 愛者愛嗎？啊，就帶著地獄走進天堂吧。
Whatever sages say and fools, all’s well
無論智者或愚者說了什麼，都好，都行。

(Mary May 譯)