The Squirrel by Olav H. Hauge
Lightly he jumps
into the oak by the steps
and sets to work
in its crown
- autumn is a busy time
for a squirrel;
acorns and nuts
must be gathered
before leaves drop.
He finds a nut
to gnaw,
fluffs his tail and
sits there content.
The squirrel collects his share
of pinecones and nuts
- and he knows
a good, safe nest on
the elm-covered hillside.
From the stone stoop below
the cat stretches claws
but the squirrel pays
no heed, just gnaws and
crushes nuts:
Mouse-hunter,
you cannot reach me!
He mocks the cat with a shower
of nutshells on his nose.
When the nuts are gone, I see him
scurry down
a long, thin branch
- then a daring jump!
With bushy tail he steers his body
nimbly to reach
the roof edge.
From there he scurries
to fence and pollard birch,
barely touching ground,
then darts in a circle through
brushwood and heather.
Last I saw him
he waved his bushy tail
and jumped into
the hazel thicket.
他輕巧跳躍
到階梯旁的橡樹
在樹冠裡
開始辛勤工作
—秋天對松鼠來說
是個忙碌的季節;
在葉子落下之前
橡實和堅果
必須收集妥當。
他找到一顆
好啃的堅果,
彈彈蓬鬆的尾巴
心滿意足地坐著。
這隻松鼠蒐集了夠自己享用的
松子和堅果
—他還找好了
稱心安全的巢穴
就在長滿榆樹的山坡上。
伏在樹下的石頭上
一隻貓伸出利爪
但松鼠渾不
在意,只是啃著
嗑著一顆顆堅果:
鼠輩獵人,
你沒法子靠近我!
他朝著貓鼻得意地
撒下堅果殼示威。
等堅果吃完了,我看到他
迅疾溜下
又長又細的樹枝
—接著做了個大膽的跳躍!
用蓬鬆的尾巴調整身體的方向
靈活地勾住
屋頂的邊沿。
他從那裡再次疾馳
奔向籬笆和樺樹,
快得像飄過地面,
以閃電的速度繞了個圈穿過
灌木和石楠。
從我的視野中消失前
他搖著蓬鬆的尾巴
跳進了
榛樹叢中。