不仅因为亨利.詹姆斯说
人生只有四个生活准则
要善良，要善良，要善良--而且
因为它对灵魂有益，并且，
更重要的是，对别人好；对于一个
比较有价值的世界来说
善良或许就我最好的试演。并且，
不管其报偿是虚无缥缈
还是带有不确定性，一只鸟儿
就在我们的房子前面溜达进一丛灌木里，
感激之情可能用行动显化自己
完全等同于我们自己，
四面八方仍然各有不同天象出现
饥荒的盛宴和富足的盛宴
可能也证明殊途同归，所以为什么
不允许小小的献祭的三角拱和蚯蚓文
盛行？为什么不用些微的特色
湮没这个特殊的世界？
尘埃注定是我们所有人的命运，所以
为什么不做那个可能是最快乐的尘埃呢，
a detritus of blessedness? Surely
the hedgehog, furling and unfurling
into its spiked little ball, knows something
that, with gentle touch and unthreatening
tone, can inure to our benefit, surely the wicked
witches of our childhood have died and,
from where they are buried, a great kindness
has eclipsed their misdeeds. Yes, of course,
一枚幸福的碎屑？确定无疑
刺猬，卷啊，卷啊
卷成其有尖刺的小球，轻轻一触
不具威胁性的情调，有点儿知觉。可以符合
我们的利益，无疑，我们童年时代
邪恶的巫婆死去了，
从她们埋葬的地方，大恩大德
遮挡了她们的恶行。是的，当然是，
终于许多归结为荣耀和其
各种各样的半影，但我们太多难以驾驭的敌意
业已浪费在报复行为上，太多不幸的天空
充满了不成体统的火冒出的烟。哦朋友们，
拿出无论你能发现的任何善意
尽情低挥霍：
我不会耗尽你有限的资源，
我向你保证，那将不会让你脆弱
并且展示，用你唯一的可爱的小爪子
自卫，你潮湿的小鼻子，你看着地面的
眼睛，你的小脚。
Not merely because Henry James said
there were but four rules of life—
be kind be kind be kind be kind—but
because it’s good for the soul, and,
what’s more, for others; it may be
that kindness is our best audition
for a worthier world, and, despite
the vagueness and uncertainty of
its recompense, a bird may yet wander
into a bush before our very houses,
gratitude may not manifest itself in deeds
entirely equal to our own, still there’s
weather arriving from every direction,
the feasts of famine and feasts of plenty
may yet prove to be one, so why not
allow the little sacrificial squinches and
squigulas to prevail? Why not inundate
the particular world with minute particulars?
Dust’s certainly all our fate, so why not
make it the happiest possible dust,
a detritus of blessedness? Surely
the hedgehog, furling and unfurling
into its spiked little ball, knows something
that, with gentle touch and unthreatening
tone, can inure to our benefit, surely the wicked
witches of our childhood have died and,
from where they are buried, a great kindness
has eclipsed their misdeeds. Yes, of course,
in the end so much comes down to privilege
and its various penumbras, but too much
of our unruly animus has already been
wasted on reprisals, too much of the
unblessed air is filled with smoke from
undignified fires. Oh friends, take
whatever kindness you can find
and be profligate in its expenditure:
It will not drain your limited resources,
I assure you, it will not leave you vulnerable
and unfurled, with only your sweet little claws
to defend yourselves, and your wet little noses,
and your eyes to the ground, and your little feet.
