Another beautiful poem by Yao Lu.
For reference, particularly for those not familiar with the Greek mythology, the poem refers to the story of Pam and the nymph Syrinx. I will let the readers find out more about the myth at their leisure.
Enjoy.
牧笛
在雪山里。
绪任克斯习惯了
以处女的身份
离群索居 。
男人们渴望
年轻的肉体而对她穷追不舍。
她拒绝成为谁的妻子，
她拒绝与他们中的任何一个欢爱。
男人追求女人的三大法宝：
金钱，权力和强健的身体
很久以前
人类还不会挺直腰杆行走
群居在山洞中
婚姻制度由谁颁布
要将她变成俘虏
当她逃到山泉旁边时
瀑布正似银色的绸缎飞流直下
坐在长满苔藓的岩石上
听山林中的潘神吹奏一曲
比四溅的水花声更响亮
这次她的内心不再坚如磐石
而是一根风中的芦苇，在摆荡
The reed pipe
In the snowy mountain.
Syrinx became comfortable
being a virgin
and living alone away from the crowds
Men long for
Young bodies and pursued her.
She refused to be someone’s wife,
She refused to have sex with any of them.
Three magic weapons help men pursue women:
money, power, and a strong body
Long, long ago
Humans couldn’t walk with their back straight
And lived in caves
Who promulgated the institution of marriage since?
Trying to turn her into a prisoner
Hence, she escaped to the mountain’s spring.
The waterfall is like a silver silk rushing down
Sitting on a mossy rock
Listening to Pan playing a song in the forest
Louder than the splashing water
This time her heart is no longer as solid as a rock
and a reed pipe swings in the wind
Francesco Marincola 