"Departmental" by Robert Frost:
An ant on the table cloth
Ran into a dormant moth
Of many times his size.
He showed not the least surprise.
His business wasn't with such.
He gave it scarcely a touch,
And was off on this duty run.
Yet if he encountered one
Of the hive's enquiry squad
Whose work it is to find out God
And the nature of time and space,
He would put him onto the case.
Ants are a curious race;
One crossing with hurried tread
The body of one of their dead
Isn't given a moment's arrest --
Seems not even impressed.
But he no doubt reports to any
With whom he crosses antennae,
And they no doubt report
To the higher up at court.
Then word goes forth in Formic:
'Death's come to Jerry McCormic,
Our selfless forager Jerry.
Will the special Janizary
Whose office it is to bury
The dead of the commissary
Go bring him home to his people.
Lay him in state on a sepal.
Wrap him for shroud in a petal.
Embalm him with ichor of nettle.
This is the word of your Queen.'
And presently upon the scene
Appears a solemn mortician;
And taking formal position
With feelers calmly atwiddle
Seizes the dead by the middle
And heaving him high in the air,
Carries him out of there.
No one stands round to stare.
It is nobody else's affair.
It couldn't be called ungentle.
But how thoroughly departmental.
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桌布上爬行著一隻螞蟻，
遇到了一隻休眠的蛾子，
那身材有他的好幾倍大，
他絲毫沒有顯露出驚訝，
應付這種情況不是本分，
他幾乎沒有去蹭他一蹭，
便繼續去履行他的職責。
但是他如果碰上了一隻
蟻群調查小組裡的螞蟻——
小組的任務是找出上帝，
研究時間和空間的性質——
就會把問題交給他處理。
螞蟻是一種奇異的族類：
即使在一直匆忙趕路時
踐踏過另一隻蟻的屍體，
也不會有一瞬間的分神，
甚至顯得有點麻木不仁，
但是一定會把訊息傳遞
給觸鬚觸到的任何螞蟻，
這螞蟻又毫無問題回去
報告螞蟻王國上層當局。
然後便會傳來這類蟻語：
“本朝無私的糧秣官傑瑞，
傑瑞·麥克米克已殉職；
有位全權專職傑尼扎瑞，
主持該軍需官身後事宜，
特派料理殯葬專職官吏
運送他返回到鄉梓故里，
置諸花萼以便舉哀行禮，
並用花瓣充當他的殮衣，
再以蕁麻汁液塗敷軀體。
這便是女王懿旨，欽此。”
於是便會有莊嚴的執事，
立即出現在出事的場地，
平心靜氣地轉動著觸鬚，
他正式就職，行禮如儀，
再兜腰抓住死者的軀體，
把他在半空中高高舉起，
舉著他的遺體隨即離去。
沒有任何螞蟻前來圍觀，
因為這與其他螞蟻無關。
這不能說成是無情無義，
然而，分工是多么徹底。
(江楓 譯)
