无径可循的林中，我惑然发现
四株伟岸的岩枫看似排成行，
它们仿佛是在一个世纪以前
就已被移植在某间屋舍旁边，
翼护着私产投下一片片绿荫。
我环顾四周想看看古代车轮
是否留下与枫树平行的旧辙，
但根本没有，这是我观察所得——
这里不曾有车马道。也找不到
哪里有地窖留下的方形凹槽，
于是我继续一步步前行，察看
鹅耳枥树枝令人惊奇的纹样
或松果螺纹，在不受人的呆板
几何学规律约束的树木下面。

In Trackless Woods
by Richard Wilbur

In trackless woods, it puzzled me to find
Four great rock maples seemingly aligned,
As if they had been set out in a row
Before some house a century ago,
To edge the property and lend some shade.
I looked to see if ancient wheels had made
Old ruts to which the trees ran parallel,
But there were none, so far as I could tell -
There'd been no roadway. Nor could I find the square
Depression of a cellar anywhere,
And so I tramped on further, to survey
Amazing patterns in a hornbeam spray
Or spirals in a pine-cone, under trees
Not subject to our stiff geometries.

· From Mayflies, poems and translations by Richard Wilbur, published by The Waywiser Press