First Snow in Alsace*
                                         Richard Wilbur (1921- )

The snow came down last night
Like moths burned on the moon*;
It fell till dawn,
Covered the town with simple cloths*.

Absolute snow lies rumpled on
What shellbursts scattered and deranged,
Entangled railings, crevassed lawn*.

As if it did not know they'd changed*,
Snow smoothly clasps the roofs of homes
Fear-gutted, trustless and estranged*.

The ration stacks are milky domes*;
Across the ammunition pile
The snow has climbed in sparkling combs*.

You think: beyond the town a mile
Or two, this snowfall fills the eyes
Of soldiers dead a little while.*

Persons and persons in disguise*,
Walking the new air white and fine,
Trade glances quick with shared surprise*.

At children's windows, heaped, benign,
As always, winter shines the most,
And frost makes marvelous designs*.

The night guard coming from his post,
Ten first-snows back in thought, walks slow
And warms him with a boyish boast*:

He was the first to see the snow*.         

注：

*本诗借用本年的第一次降雪，赞扬了士兵们保卫家乡的勇敢精神。

*雪花就像被月光点燃的飞蛾
*雪花像素装似的覆盖着城镇

*大雪覆盖了炸弹破坏的场景，包括杂乱的扶手和零落的草地

*似乎它不知道这里发生了变化
*这里的人们倍受惊吓，无可信赖，无依无靠

*供给站的屋顶变成了乳白色
*穿过弹药堆，雪花堆积成成一缕缕的

*大雪覆盖了刚刚死去的士兵双眼

*伪装了的士兵
*相互交换惊讶的眼神

*对于天真的小孩而言，雪花永远是善良的。他们可以将积雪做成令人赞叹不已的造型

*值夜岗的士兵回来了，回忆着过去十次那第一场雪

*他孩子气地夸耀说：他是第一个看到雪的人，虽然走得很慢但很温暖（表现战士乐观的精神）。