Cornelius Eady's Poem & translation

Cornelius Eady at a reading

Composite - a poem by Cornelius Eady, translated by Stephanie

(See original English Poem below )

.

有物混成

這紙上的英雄不是我吧 !
我只不過是一陣迷思, 也許是一個答案 !
此際, 滿眼的燈柱貼滿我的臉
黏在透明膠板上
我的前額

被圖釘釘死

在帽子上。


我就在這兒，其實我從未到過
我是這一扇敞開的門, 從這兒走出去
誰可相依。
這一刹那, 我坦然迫視
你眼神深處
透露在告示版與樹與樹之間


紙上的我, 到處都是

暴風雪般的召喚。


你看, 我偏偏出現
在最不經意的地方,
例如你想買牛奶,

或者,你想洗車,
或者, 你要寄信,

我會撲上去, 全力以赴,
你可以這樣看我, 一直盯我, 可是你找不到我。
蘇姍就這樣在鄰里間丟失了我,
她是這樣冷冷的
一張再也找不到的
嚇人的臉

April 9, 2007 translated by Stephanie Chin

Composite(by Cornelius Eady)

I am not the hero of this piece.
I am only a stray thought, a solution.
But now my face is stuck to lamposts, glued
To plate glass, my forehead gets stapled
To my hat.

I am here, and here I am not.
I am a door that opens, and out walks
No-one-can-help-you.
Now I gaze, straight into your eyes,
From bulletin boards, tree trunks.

I am papered everywhere,
A blizzard called
You see what happens ?
I turn up when least expected.
If you decide to buy some milk,

If you decide to wash your car,
If you decide to mail a letter,

I might tumbleweed onto a pant leg.
You can stare, and stare, but I can't be found.
Susan has loosed me on the neighors,
A cold representative,
The scariest face you could think of.

(from the book Brutal Imagination)