我讀 The Elephant Is Slow to Mate –

最近閱讀了D.H.Lawrence的一首英文詩＜The Elephant Is Slow to Mate - ＞，感覺滿喜歡的。這首詩收錄在文鶴出版社出版的《Literature》中，相信是詩人的代表作吧!

這首詩描寫兩隻互相愛慕的大象，如何在河邊散步、在森林中睡覺時培養愛意，不急於求愛，但愛苗在心中慢慢滋長，最後水乳交融的過程。

詩人的詩句中用了許多字眼形容牠們戀愛時是如何的不疾不徐，像是they show no haste they wait, they loiter along the river-beds, sleep in massive silence, hiding their fire, wait for the loneliest feasts for the full repast, they do not snatch; they do not tear等等。

整首詩給人一種慢條斯理的節奏，就好比大象走路時那慢悠悠的姿態，有種特別的韻致。

以前很排斥讀詩，因為讀不懂。後來，慢慢接觸，才漸漸有點喜歡讀詩了。雖然讀不懂的地方還不少，但也能學著去品味了。

有人說，詩有言外之意，而且也給詩下了許多註解。對我而言，也許是頭腦簡單，只能先就表面字義上來理解。這首詩或許有其他影射也說不定，可是我覺得暫時不管它，純粹欣賞這首詩，感覺就挺浪漫的了。

有興趣的朋友，可以讀讀以下全文，祝愉快！

D. H. LAWRENCE

[1885 – 1930]

The Elephant Is Slow to Mate –

The elephant, the huge old beast,

        Is slow to mate;

he finds a female, they show no haste

        they wait

for the sympathy in their vast shy hearts

        slowly, slowly to rouse

as they loiter along the river-beds

        and drink and browse

and dash in panic through the brake

         of forest with the herd,

and sleep in massive silence, and wake

        together, without a word.

So slowly the great hot elephant hearts

        grow full of desire,

and the great beasts mate in secret at last,

        hiding their fire.

Oldest they are and the wisest of beasts

        so they know at last

how to wait for the loneliest of feasts

        for the full repast.

They do not snatch, they do not tear;

        their massive blood

moves as the moon-tides, near, more near,

        till they touch in flood.