Love At First Sight

Poem by Wislawa Szymborska

Taipei Mountain Top ~~~~~

Both are convinced
that a sudden surge of emotion bound them together.
Beautiful is such a certainty,
but uncertainty is more beautiful still.

Since they’d never met before, they’re sure
that nothing was happening between them.
What of streets, stairways and corridors
where they could have passed each other long ago?

I’d like to ask them
whether they remember–
Perhaps in a revolving door
ever being face to face?
An “excuse me” in a crowd?
A curt “wrong number” in the receiver?
But I know the answer:
No, they don’t remember.

They’d be greatly astonished to learn
that for a long time
Chance had been playing with them.

Not yet wholly ready
to transform into fate for them
it approached them, then backed off,
stood in their way,
and, suppressing a giggle,
jumped to the side.

There were signs and signals,
even if they couldn’t read them yet.
Perhaps three years ago
or just last Tuesday
a certain leaf fluttered
from one shoulder to another?
Something was dropped and then picked up.
Who knows, maybe the ball that vanished
into childhood’s thicket?

There were doorknobs and doorbells
where one touch had covered another
beforehand.
Suitcases checked and standing side by side.
One night, perhaps, the same dream,
forgotten in waking.

Every beginning
is only a sequel, after all,
and the book of events
is always open halfway through.

•有了這層體認，我們便可用全新的角度去看待疏離的人際關係，並且感受到一絲暖意和甜蜜。(摘自陳黎‧張芬齡導讀，辛波絲卡詩選，

※「一見鍾情」(波蘭詩人) 辛波絲卡Wislawa Szymborska

他們倆人都相信
是一股突發的熱情讓他倆交會。
這樣的篤定是美麗的，
但變化無常更是美麗。

既然從未見過面，
從此並無任何瓜葛。
但是聽聽自街道、樓梯、走廊傳來的話語-

他倆或許擦肩而過一百萬次了吧？

我想問他們
是否不記得了-

在旋轉門
面對面那一刻？

或者在人群中喃喃說出的「對不起」？
或者是在聽筒截獲的唐突的「打錯了」？
然而我早知道他們的答案。
是的，他們不記得了。

他們會感到詫異，倘若得知
緣份已玩弄他們
多年。

尚未完全做好，
成為他們命運的準備，
緣份將他們推近，驅離，
憋住笑聲，
阻擋他們的去路，
然後閃到一邊。

有一些跡象和信號存在，
即使他們尚無法解讀
也許在三年前
或者就在上個星期二
有某片葉子飄舞於
肩與肩之間？
有些東西掉了又撿了起來？
天曉得，也許是童年灌木叢中的球？
還有事前已被觸摸
層層覆蓋的
門把和門鈴。
檢查完畢後並排放置的手提箱。
有一晚，也許同樣的夢，
到了早晨變得模糊。

每個開始，
畢竟都只是續篇，
而充滿情節的書本
總是從一半開始看起。(p.148-151)