Poems
The Great-Grandmothers
曾祖母们
March 30, 2026
One paid the rent with a row of her teeth.
The other hacked off her Bible-black hair
一位用一排牙齿抵了房租。另一位则剪掉了她那圣经般乌黑的头发。
for a glass ring, then just as quickly
shattered it in a fit of temper. She was always
她曾为一只玻璃戒指欣喜若狂，转眼又在盛怒中将其摔得粉碎。她向来如此——
on the side of men. They both know so much
about the world, being out of it now.
他们俩都站在男人这边。如今虽已远离尘嚣，却对世事洞若观火。
One says, God can always see you
with his unfeeling precision. A hiss under all speech.
有人说，上帝总能以他那不带感情的精准注视着你。那是所有言语之下的一丝嘶响。
The other says that the sky is black,
then blue, and always empty. Or as clear as a window,
另一人却说，天空先是墨黑，继而湛蓝，永远空无一物。或者说，澄澈如窗。
if you prefer. You can do anything you like.
悉听尊便。您尽可随心所欲。
This is drawn from “The Givens.”
本文节选自《吉文斯》。