Become a slam poet in five steps - Gayle Danley

Transcriber: Andrea McDonough Reviewer: Bedirhan Cinar

翻译人员: Evelyn Li 校对人员: Shanshan (Alice) Lin

Miss Gayle's 5 Steps to Slam Poetry,

盖尔小姐即兴诗歌五步法

a lesson of transformation.

破茧化蝶的一课

Step 1:

第一步：

Write it all down.

把它全部写下来。

"Take one memory,

“选取一段回忆，

explore it like a new land,"

像开发新大陆一样去探究它。”

the visiting poet tells the class.

访问诗人这样告诉同学们。

"Don't leave anything out."

“不要遗漏任何细节。”

Tyler sits in this high school workshop,

泰勒坐在这个高中课堂里，

dizzy with where to start.

正困惑着不知从哪儿开始。

Memories wander in and out of his heart

回忆在他心中来回游荡，

like vagrants searching for home.

像流浪者找寻家园一样。

He bends to his desk,

他靠近课桌，

he writes,

写道，

"The snow goes black

“雪变黑了，

when the moon turns its eyes away,

当月亮移开它的视线，

all paper is yellow,

所有的纸都是黄色，

all letters spell eviction note,

所有的字母拼出驱逐令，

Mama's lies are footsteps

妈妈的谎言像是脚印，

too many to count.

太多而数不清。

Making excuses on black snow.

在黑色的雪上编造借口。

'I paid the rent,

‘我付了房租，

this is your room forever, baby.

宝贝，这永远是你的房间。

I love you.'

我爱你。’

But, she wouldn't even look at me."

但是，她甚至都不愿意看我。“

Step 2:

第二部：

Read out loud.

大声读出来。

As he writes, his lips try on words

当他写时，嘴里一直在嘟囔着什么，

then toss them out like bad tenants.

然后把这些词像坏房客一样扔出去。

He pushes his desk back,

他推开桌子，

stands.

站起来。

"Aunt Jocelyn's rice pudding was sweet,

”乔瑟琳阿姨的米布丁是甜的，

but that's not what I want to write.

但那不是我想写的。

Have you ever been so cold

你是否曾经如此的冷

your hair becomes an icicle?

以至于头发变成了一根冰条？

Your little sister's fear of the dark

你妹妹对黑暗的恐惧

freezes on her lips

凝滞在她的嘴唇上

like she's kissed the ice tray?

像是她亲吻过冰盘？

How hungry have you been?"

你曾经有多么饥饿过？“

Step 3:

第三部：

Cut the fat.

割掉肥肉。

Abandon extra words.

去掉多余的词。

His pen becomes a machete,

他的钢笔变成一把弯刀，

slashing ands, thens, becauses.

砍掉“和，然后，因为” 这些词

Step 4:

第四步：

Read out loud,

大声读出来，

again.

再一次。

The 11th grade boy makes sure

那个11年级的男孩确信

Step 3's cuts weren't too deep.

第三步的删减没有太深。

Step 5:

第五步：

Add flava.

加作料。

Juice,

power,

果汁，

力量，

movement,

运动，

emotion.

感情。

"Vanilla flavoring is the secret to my aunt's pudding.

“香草调料是我阿姨的布丁的秘密。

I kick out a few raisins but leave one or two.

我剔除一些葡萄干，但留下一两个。

Life needs some bitter

生活需要一些苦

to man up the sweet."

来突出甜。”

His hands reach out like shells

他的手像贝壳一样伸出来

to hold our disbelief.

接住我们的怀疑。

Is this Tyler speaking?

这是泰勒在说话吗？

The one who keeps his eyes on the floor

那个走路一直看地板

like they're carrying something heavy?

像是扛着很重的东西的人？

Voice rattles windows.

声音把窗户震得咯咯作响。

"I am free now."

“现在我自由了。”

Body quivers with the pulse of each word.

身体随着每个词的律动而颤抖。

"The sun's joy melts snow."

“太阳的喜悦融化冰雪。”

Fingers trace the curve of his jaw.

手指勾画出下巴的曲线。

"My aunt's face was warm as a water heater

“阿姨的脸像热水器一样温暖

when she let us in that night."

当她允许我们进屋坐坐的那天晚上。”

Our boy is done,

我们的男孩完成了，

his transformation complete.

他的破茧成蝶的过程完整了。

Step 1: Write it all down.

第一步：全部写下来。

Step 2: Read out loud.

第二部：大声读出来。

Step 3: Cut the fat.

第三步：减去多余的。

Step 4: Read out loud.

第四部：大声读出来。

Step 5: Add flava.

第五步：加作料。

Tyler's first poem takes residence in his heart.

泰勒的第一首诗歌在他心中形成了。

He flings his arms wide

他张开双臂，

like an open door.

像一扇打开的门。

Welcome home!

欢迎回家！