Introduction to Poetry                                        诗歌入门

    Billy Collins                                            比利.科林斯

I ask them to take a poem                                 我叫他们取一片诗歌

and hold it up to the light                               举起来对着光看看

like a color slide                                        像看彩色幻灯片

or press an ear against its hive.                         或者凝神听它的嗡嗡声。

I say drop a mouse into a poem                            我说丢只老鼠到诗里

and watch him probe his way out,                          看它怎样摸索着逃出来，

or walk inside the poem's room                            或者走进一间诗歌，

and feel the walls for a light switch.                    在墙上寻摸电灯开关。

I want them to waterski                                   我要他们滑水

across the surface of a poem                              冲到诗歌对岸

waving at the author's name on the shore.                 对着岸上的诗人名字挥挥手

But all they want to do                                   但是他们非要

is tie the poem to a chair with rope                      用绳子把诗歌绑在椅子上

and torture a confession out of it.                       严刑拷打逼它招供。

They begin beating it with a hose                         他们用皮鞭抽着它

to find out what it really means.                         想问出它到底是什么意思。