"For Estefani" poem by Aracelis Girmay

I'm Aracelis Girmay,

譯者: Clement Fu 審譯者: Helen Chang

我是亞瑞瑟莉絲‧葛梅 (Aracelis Girmay)

and this is, "For Estefani, Third Grade, Who Made Me a Card."

這是〈答謝三年級生埃斯特法尼 心意卡關懷的回信〉

Elephant on an orange line, underneath a yellow circle, meaning sun.

橙線上的象，頭上一黃圈，是太陽

Six green, vertical lines, with color all from the top, meaning flowers.

六豎綠線，各色發端，是花兒

The first time I peel back the five squares of Scotch tape,

初次掀開五格子的思高膠紙

unfold the crooked-crease fold of art class paper.

翻開滿面皺褶的美勞課卡紙

I am in my living room. It is June.

時維六月，我在起居室

Inside of the card, there is one long word, and then

卡裡，下款有個很長的字

Estefani’s name:

接著是埃斯特法尼的名字：

Loisfoeribari Estefani

「艾絲菲斯里」埃斯特法尼

Loisfoeribari?

「艾絲菲斯里」？

Loisfoeribari:

「艾絲菲斯里」：

The scientific, Latinate way of saying hibiscus.

準是芙蓉的拉丁文學名

Loisforeribari: A direction, as in: are you going

「艾絲菲斯里」：準是方向，如：

North? South? East? West? Loisfoeribari?

一路向東、南、西、北、 「艾絲菲斯里」？

I try, over and over, to read the word out loud.

我試著把字一再唸出來

Loisfoeribari.

「艾絲菲斯里」

LoISFOeribari.

「艾茲非斯里」

LoiSFOEribari.

「艾菲爾心裡」

LoisFOERibARI.

「艾絲發諾拉」

What is this word? I imagine using it in sentences like,

是甚麼字？我猜造句會這樣：

“Man, I have to go back to the house, I forgot my Loisfoeribari.”

「要回家一趟，我忘了帶艾絲菲斯里」

or “There’s nothing better than rain, hot rain,

或是「夏天求之不得莫過於雨、大雨

open windows with music, and a tall glass of Loisfoeribari.”

開窗迎樂聲，伴隨一杯艾絲菲斯里」

or “How are we getting to Pittsburgh? Should we drive or take the Loisfoeribari?”

又或是「要怎樣去匹茲堡？ 該駕車還是搭艾絲菲斯里？」

I have lived four minutes with this word not knowing what it means.

過了人生四分鐘，這字仍不得要領

It is the end of the year. I consider writing my student,

快到學年梢，我打算寫給學生

Estefani, a letter that goes:

埃斯特法尼這樣一封信：

To The BRILLIANT Estefani!

給聰明伶俐的埃斯特法尼：

Hola, querida, I hope that you are well.

Hola, querida（西班牙語： 哈囉，親愛的），妳好嗎？

I’ve just opened the card that you made me, and it is beautiful.

剛看了妳的心意卡，很漂亮啊

I really love the way you filled the sky with birds.

畫上漫天飛鳥，很有意思

I believe that you are chula, chulita, and super fly!

妳真是 chula, chulita（西班牙語： 可愛小人兒），超棒的！

Yes, the card is beautiful.

對，心意卡很美

I only have one question for you.

只是心中有個疑問：

What does the word ‘Loisfoeribari’ mean?

「艾絲菲斯里」是啥？老師卡關

I try the word again. Loisfoeribari.

我心有不甘再試試：「艾絲菲斯里」

Loisfoeribari. Loisfoeribari.

「艾詩菲斯里」、「艾絲費獅鳥」

I try the word in Spanish.

換個方式再試試：

Loisfoeribari

「艾絲非斯壁裡」

Lo-ees-fo-eh-dee-bah-dee

「埃詩房營私筆液」

Lo-ees-fo-eh-dee-bah-dee

「艾侍奉寧時裨益」

and then, slowly,

慢慢再逐個音節讀：

Lo is fo e ri bari

艾‧司‧發‧熱‧行‧比‧意

Lo is fo eribari

愛‧是‧凡‧人‧思‧彼亦

love is for everybody love is for every every body love

愛是凡人心比翼 愛是凡人人心比翼是

love love everybody love everybody love love

愛意人人比翼愛 人人仁愛

is love everybody everybody is love

是愛人仁 人仁是愛

love love for love for everybody

愛人人仁 比翼是愛

for love is everybody love is for every

凡是愛是人人 愛是凡人

love is for every body love love love for body

愛是凡人心比翼 愛愛愛人人

love body body is love love is body every body is love

愛人人心愛 愛是人比翼心愛

is every love for every love is love

凡心愛 人凡愛是愛

for love everybody love love love love for everybody

凡是愛比翼是愛 愛凡是人人比翼

Love is for everybody.

愛是凡人心比翼