——译自A Song to Pass the Time (by Bright Eyes)
一个中年女人 步履沉重
提着（脏衣）篮子去洗衣店
这时墨西哥孩子们踢石子到街道上
他们笑闹 以我所不理解的语言
但我爱他们
为什么我爱他们
我在门廊吸烟，四邻朦胧难辨
看着隔绝在车窗里的人们经过
他们脸上除了愤怒就是失望
我开始希望有什么是我可以给他们的
我可以给他们带去慰藉吗？
当他们忧伤地在农用机车里浇灌草坪
所触之物（碰到的一切事物）都变得一尘不染
因此他们开始相信自己从未触碰过任何东西
路上的汽车快速增多
他们却迷失在自己的房间里
我曾经听见 他们在浴室唱歌
在电话里和她们的姐妹谈话
说，你回来吧
亲爱的你来这里吧
不要呆在离我那么远的地方
这天气使我所渴望的爱更为具体
就像某种可以握住的渐渐冷却的东西
就让我们向空中的火焰举起拳头
遮住那不断逼近我们眼睛的光亮
因为它会使我们盲目 它会使我们盲目
现在 我已经把我的行动规定在日常的轨道里
所以我也许永远不能脱离这种淡漠 获得自由
但我在等待一封为我而写的信
她把大海的照片装在信封里寄给我
所以我还有希望
是的 我可以痊愈
总有一个人在寻找我藏在秘密抽屉里的东西
在我衣袋深处
你会找到我彻夜难眠的原因 而你依然愿意要我
可是你还会要我吗？
我说，来吧，这个星期
你可以在我的床上睡觉
然后你经过我的生命就像一个梦穿越脑海
这很简单 我会让它简单
但此时此刻我只有一首用于消遣的歌
一段让我忘却担忧的乐曲
哦，有一些简单的事情让我十指繁忙
还有一些话语一定会回归于我 令人发笑
我的平庸 我的平庸
英文版:
There is a middle-aged woman dragging her feet
She carries baskets of clothes to a laundromat
While the Mexican children kick rocks into the street
And they laugh in a language I don't understand
But I love them
Why do I love them
So the neighborhood is dimming as I smoke on the porch
And watch the people as they pass enclosed inside their cars
And on their faces just anger or disappointment
I start wishing there was something I could offer them
A consolation what could I offer them
When they are sad in their suburbs robots water the lawn
And everything they touch gets dusted spotless
So they start to believe that they haven't touched anything at all
While the cars in the driveway only multiply
They are lost in their houses
I have heard them sing in the shower
And making speeches to their sister on the telephone
Saying You come home
Darling you come here
Don't stay so far away from me
This weather has me wanting love more tangible
Something I can hold because it's getting cold，
So lets hold up our fists to the flame in the sky，
To block out the light that is reaching for our eyes
Because it would blind us It will blind us
Now I have locked my actions in the grooves of routine
So I may never be free of this apathy
But I wait for a letter that is coming to me
She sends me pictures of the ocean in an envelope
So there still is hope
Yes I can be healed
There is someone looking for what I concealed in my secret drawer
In my pockets deep
You will find the reasons that I can't sleep and you will still want me
But will you still want me
Well I say come for the week
You can sleep in my bed
And then pass through my life like a dream through my head
It will be easy I will make it easy
But all I have for the moment is a song to pass the time
A melody to keep me from worrying
Oh some simple progression to keep my fingers busy
And some words that are sure to come back to me and they will be laughing
My mediocrity My mediocrity
