Considering the Snail
by Thom Gunn

　The snail pushes through a green
　night, for the grass is heavy
　with water and meets over
　the bright path he makes, where rain
　has darkened the earth's dark. He
　moves in a wood of desire,
　pale antlers barely stirring
　as he hunts. I cannot tell
　what power is at work, drenched there
　with purpose, knowing nothing.
　What is a snail's fury? All
　I think is that if later
　I parted the blades above
　the tunnel and saw the thin
　trail of broken white across
　litter, I would never have
　imagined the slow passion
　to that deliberate progress.

　蜗牛感怀
 
　蜗牛用触角推进墨绿色的
　夜晚，因为草叶上湿漉漉
　沾满水珠，耷拉着交织在
　它推出的明亮小径，雨在上面
　使大地的昏暗更加昏暗。它
　在欲望之林中缓缓蠕动。

　它捕食时，苍白的触角
　几乎不动。我无法说出
　什么力量起作用，在那里
　浸透于百思不解的思绪中。
　蜗牛的愤懑何在？我仅仅
　这样遐想：即使稍后一些时候

　我拨开蜗牛爬过的路上的叶片，
　但见它留下的细细痕迹
　粘着破碎的白色微粒，穿过
　垃圾碎屑，那我也难以想像
　伴随它从容前进的
　徐迟缓慢的激情。

注：这首诗发表于1956年。就其主题而言，本诗并非特别地具有“现代性”，因为它只是通过对蜗牛世界中蜗牛力量的描绘来阐明想像的作用。这种作用与华兹华斯《咏水仙》中的inward eye不无相似之处，而本诗中那蜗牛的“力量”也可以说是在“空漠”的“心灵”中所闪现的一种景象。