天生的权利

自打我出生争吵从未间断，
我不曾非想成为男子汉；
他们不问我是否会骑马
就对我喊道“快来外面呀！”
他们拖着尥蹶子的马，说：
“这是你的战马，别问对错。”
他向后翘起耳朵，我也如此，
我说“骑上他与找死无异”，
他们说“当然”；桀骜的马嘶鸣，
我觉得自己愚蠢，内心惶恐。
太阳升起来，我的脚被卡死。
分钟、时辰和年头都已逝去，
我不知多少机会被我错过，
马童喊道：“是时候骑马了！”
我耷着下巴，口渴得张大嘴：
赠予我的马直盯着我的嘴。

作者 / [英国]路易斯·麦克尼斯
翻译 / 吕鹏
选自 / 《麦克尼斯诗选》，白鲸诗丛

Birthright

When I was born the row began,
I had never asked to be a man;
They never asked if I could ride
But shouted at me ‘Come outside!’,
Then hauled the rearing beast along
And said: ‘Your charger, right or wrong.’
His ears went back and so did I,
I said ‘To mount him means to die’,
They said ‘Of course’; the nightmare neighed
And I felt foolish and afraid.
The sun came up, my feet stuck fast,
The minutes, hours, and years went past,
More chances missed than I could count,
The stable boys cried: ‘Time to mount!’
My jaw dropped and I gaped from drouth:
My gift horse looked me in the mouth.

Louis MacNeice