Winter in the Woods

By Timothy Murphy

His master bed has earthen walls,

and there blueberries fill his dreams

of montane meadows, braided streams

and the fine summer fishing at the falls.1. montane: 山地的，山区的；braid: v. 把……编成绳子（或穗带）。

Six months to diet: he is fat

with venison, his coat is plush;2. venison: 鹿肉；plush: 长毛绒，栽绒。

a windless snow sifts in the hush

falling on waters which will flood the Platte.3. sift: 筛滤（固体）；Platte: 普拉特河，位于美国内布拉斯加州。

Pulse drops from fifty-five to nine

and body heat to forty-five.

Now let him sleep, barely alive,

’til the sun licks the frosting from the pine.

他的主卧榻边是土砌的墙壁，

在那里蓝莓充斥着他的梦境，

梦中有山间草地、溪流交织

还有夏日里在瀑布下的悠然垂钓。

将要忍耐六个月的饥饿：他

鹿肉肥积的身子披着栽绒袍；

寂静筛滤出雪花，不借风力

飘落在即将泛涌普拉特河的水面。

脉搏从每分五十五跳落至九，

体温也降到了华氏四十五度。

现在让已鲜有生机的他睡吧，

直到阳光开始舔舐松针上的冰霜。