The Dolphins

By Carol Ann Duffy

World is what you swim in, or dance, it is simple.

We are in our element1. in one’s element: 處于適宜的環(huán)境，得其所。but we are not free.

Outside this world you cannot breathe for long.

The other has my shape. The other’s movement

forms my thoughts. And also mine. There is a man

and there are hoops2. hoop: 圓環(huán)。. There is a constant flowing guilt3.

We have found no truth in these waters,

no explanations tremble on our flesh.

We were blessed and now we are not blessed.

After travelling such space for days we began

to translate4. translate: 翻譯，這里指適應(yīng)一個(gè)新的環(huán)境。. It was the same space. It is

the same space always and above it is the man.

And now we are no longer blessed, for the world

will not deepen to dream in. The other knows

and out of love reflects me for myself.

We see our silver skin flash5. flash: 閃現(xiàn)。by like memory

of somewhere else. There is a coloured ball

we have to balance till the man has disappeared.

The moon has disappeared. We circle well-worn grooves

of water on a single note.6. well-worn: 用舊了的；groove: 溝，槽；note: 音符，樂曲。Music of loss forever

from the other’s heart which turns my own to stone.

There is a plastic toy. There is no hope. We sink

to the limits of this pool until the whistle blows.

There is a man and our mind knows we will die here.3. guilt: 罪惡感，愧疚。

世界就是你游泳或舞蹈的空間，這很簡單

我們在水中卻不得自由。

離開這兒活不了多久。

另一個(gè)和我身形相似。另一個(gè)的動(dòng)作

讓我思索。我的也一樣。有一個(gè)人

還有圓環(huán)。不斷流動(dòng)的愧疚。

在這片水中我們找不到真相

我們?nèi)怏w的顫抖也給不出理由。

我們曾經(jīng)很幸運(yùn)，可現(xiàn)在不是了。

在這樣的空間轉(zhuǎn)悠多日后我們開始

適應(yīng)。以前是同樣的空間。一直是

同樣的空間，而上面有一個(gè)人。

現(xiàn)在我們不再幸運(yùn)，因?yàn)槭澜?/p>

無法更深不能做夢。另一個(gè)懂了

出于愛為我展現(xiàn)我的樣子。

我們看到彼此銀色的皮膚像記憶閃過

那是別處。一只彩球

我們要頂著它直到那個(gè)人走掉。

月亮沒了。我們在磨舊的水槽里

伴著一支曲子轉(zhuǎn)圈。另一個(gè)心中

徹底迷失的音樂把我的心變成石頭。

一個(gè)塑料玩具。沒有希望。我們沉入

水池的底部直到哨聲響起。

一個(gè)人，我們知道自己將死在這里。