The Sailor Who Fell From The Rigging
Sheenagh Pugh

He's a bone-hoard, laid
golden on the table,
piecemeal（零碎的） , dislocated（脱位的）

in the naval hospital
at Haslar, this casualty
from Nelson's day. Skull

a cup, eye-sockets empty
bezels（斜垫面） for aquamarine（海蓝宝石）
or jet. The carved vertebrae,

links in a polished chain
that has come unstrung
since, long ago, a man

fell, his limbs flailing,
in that last instant
when limbs would do his bidding,

before every joint
of arms and legs splintered
on the deck; made a patient

of a seaman. His scarred
bones were knitting together,
twisted, no doubt, awkward,

when the usual fever
sank him in the dark.
He is turned to treasure,

the ribs' symmetrical fretwork（浮雕细工） ,
the pendant（垂饰） branches
of phalanges, the serpentine（蜿蜒的） torc

two clavicles make. Riches
beyond price, broken past
restoring, such choice pieces
as cannot be replaced.