So mesmerizing is … / ‧‧‧無限好

不知道是不是前一陣子去淡水看了夕陽，或者是夏季的中國之行，最近畢夏普「旅行之問」中的詩句「我們還有空間容納另一個折起來的暖暖的日落嗎？」又浮現腦海。

It might be our short outing to Tamsui in early July. The entrancing sunset has stayed in my mind since then. Or it might be the trip to China soon afterwards. Lately, I’ve been obsessing about Bishop’s verse: And have we room, for one more folded sunset, still quite warm? from the poem Questions of Travel.

二零一零年捌月十二日

Aug. 12, 2010

下過大雨之後，除了空氣降溫之外，傍晚的天空特別澄澈。我們馳騁在高速公路上，我從後座的窗戶向外看，火紅的太陽伴著被渲染的雲彩，看起來簡直就是渾然天成的油畫作。我們並不是夜遊，但我感受到旅行的氛圍，混著隱約的期待和興奮。

After the showers in the sultry afternoon, the sky cleared up with a transparent kind of beauty. We raced on the highway like a small car in a gigantic oil painting of nature in which the sunset beamed with fire-red glow. We weren’t going on any thrilling night adventure, but it was no less than a trip. I felt as much excitement and anticipation about what we were going to see.

到達另一個城市時已經天黑，剛好趕上嬰兒房開放的時間，雖然你只有2100公克，而且有些不安穩地躺在保溫箱裡，看到你小小的身體、大大的鼻子、細長的手指和半透明的腳趾頭，我很感動，看到你努力的媽媽和想到這一路的辛苦，我有點想哭。

It was already dark by the time we reached another city. Fortunately, we made it to the visit hours of the newborn wards. I got to meet you though you weigh only 2100 gram, living in the incubator, breathing kind of unsteadily. Something stirred in me when I saw your tiny body, big nose, slender fingers, and semi-transparent toes. And I kind of felt like crying seeing your fatigued mom and her struggles along the way.

然後我想到了畢夏普的問題，我的口袋裡總是放得下另一個日落，我還要把今天的日落送給你，作為我們的第一個見面禮。無限好的夕陽並不是終點，我們都還有好長一段路要走。

Bishop’s question comes back to me. Yes, I always have room for one more folded sunset. Moreover, I am going to give you the sunset of your birthday as my present of our first encounter. We both have a long way to go, and the sunset is not the end.