November

November

The stripped and shapely 

Maple grieves

The loss of her

Departed leaves.

The ground is hard, 

As hard as stone. 

The year is old,

The birds are flown.

And yet the world,

Nevertheless,

Displays a certain

Loveliness—

The beauty of

The bone. Tall God

Must see our souls

This way, and nod.

Give thanks: we do,

Each in his place

Around the table

During grace.

John Updike

点评：每行都短，却有陈缓哀伤的调调，秘密全在于 enjambment， 跨行。每行都有沉吟辗转之意。作为坚定的无神论者，只要有神论者不来强行推销宗教思想，我绝对不会主动抨击宗教人士或思想。宗教意味的文学作品，我也并不反感。没事儿我还研读研读《圣经》的语言呢。作为人类历史长河的一大思想源流，宗教是避不开的，尊重、理解，和平共处为上。全诗我最喜欢 这一句：The year is old, the birds are flown. 仿佛什么也没写，却仿佛写尽了心境。