Evening

Evening
You're twelve. Thirteen at most.
You're leaving the house by the back door.
There is still time. You've promised
not to be long, not to far.
One day you'll learn the names of the trees.
You fork left under the ridge,
pick up the bridleway between two streams.
Here is Wool Clough. Here is Royd Edge.
The peak still lit by sun. but
evening. Evening overtakes you up the slope.
Dusk walks its fingers up the knuckles of you spine.
Turn on your heel. Back home
Your child sleeps in her bed, too big for a cot.
Your wife makes and mends under the light.
You're sorry. You thought
It was early. How did it get late?
(UK) Simon Armitage
夜晚
你十二岁。顶多十三。
你从后门离开了你的屋子。
时间还早。你许诺
不会离开很久，也不会走得太远。
有一天你会识得草木的姓名。
你的耙犁还遗留在梁下，
你捡了条溪水间的夹道来走。
这是乌尔谷。这是罗伊崖。
山顶还有余光。夜却已经
到了。它在斜坡赶上你。
拿它的手指敲你的背脊。
让你掉转脚跟。回家
你的女儿已经睡下，显然，床太小了。
你的妻子在灯下缝缝补补。
你很抱歉。你想
出发时明明还早得很，怎么突然就晚了呢？
作者：西蒙·阿米蒂奇
起床时明明太阳都还没露脸，怎么突然就要下班了呢？