Early in theMorning清晨
Li-YoungLee李立扬While the longgrain issoftening锅里的长粒米慢慢糯软,in the water,gurgling在水中,咕嘟咕嘟,over a low stoveflame,before炉上小火慢炖着,这时the salted WinterVegetable issliced早餐要吃的腌菜还没for breakfast,before thebirds,切好,鸟儿还未醒来,my mother glidesan ivorycomb母亲用一把象牙梳through her hair,heavy轻梳 着头发,浓密and black ascalligrapher’sink.乌黑,如书法家的墨。She sits at thefoot of thebed.她坐在床边。My fatherwatches, listensfor父亲看着,听着the music ofcomb梳子穿过头发againsthair.的乐音。
My mothercombs,母亲把头发pulls her hairback梳到脑后,tight, rollsit束起来,用两只手指around twofingers, pinsit挽成一个髻,拿一只发卡in a bun to theback of herhead.把它固定在脑后。For half ahundred years she has donethis.五十年来她天天如此。My father likesto see it likethis.父亲喜欢她这发式。He says it iskempt.他说因为这样整洁。
But Iknow但是我知道it is because oftheway其实他是喜欢my mother’s hairfalls黄昏时他把发卡拔下时,when he pulls thepinsout.母亲的头发,柔顺Easily, like thecurtains披散下来的样子,像黄昏时when they untiethem in theevening.他们放下来的窗帘。