书城外语那些年,那些诗(每天读一点英文)
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第29章 I Hear America Singing

Walt Whitman

I Hear America singing,the varied carols I hear.

Those of mechanics,each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,

The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,

The mason singing his as he makes ready for work,or leaves off work,

The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat,the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,

The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench,the hatter singing as he stands,

The wood-cutter’s song,the ploughboy’s,on his way in the morning,or at the noon intermission or at sundown,

The delicious singing of the mother,or of the young wife at work,or of the girl sewing or washing,Each singing what belongs to her and to none else,

The day what belongs to the day—At night,the party of young fellows,robust,friendly,

Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

我听见美洲在歌唱

沃尔特·惠特曼

我听见美国在唱歌,我听到了各种颂歌,

机械工人在歌唱着,每个人都在唱着他那快乐而嘹亮的歌,

木匠边丈量着他的木板和房梁,边唱着他的歌,

瓦匠在工作或休息的时候唱着他的歌,

船夫歌唱着他船上的一切,水手也在轮船的甲板上歌唱着,

鞋匠坐在板凳上歌唱,帽匠也在站着歌唱,

伐木者、耕童们走在清晨的路上,在歇息的中午,

或在日落时分歌唱着,

我还听到来自母亲的美妙歌声,正在操作的年轻的

妻子们或缝衣或洗衣女孩子们的歌。

每个人歌唱属于他或她而不属于别人的一切,

白天唱着属于白天的歌,夜晚,在这一群体格健壮、友好相处的年轻人聚会上,

唱着他们那嘹亮而优美的旋律。

背景知识

沃尔特·惠特曼(Walt Whitman),美国诗人。他一生的诗作都被收在《草叶集》里了。在这部不断扩充再版的诗集里,诗人以主人翁的姿态,以高亢的声调,歌颂了他先进的国家、普通的人民群众、富于民主和自由传统的民族精神。

该诗作于林肯被刺后不久,直到现在,美洲的男女老少,皆能朗诵。那些衣帽商人也以“我听见美洲在歌唱”一诗为时髦,把这句诗作为商标,订在衣领上、帽沿边。人们都纷纷去购买标有“我听见美洲在歌唱”诗句的衣帽。

单词注解

carol [5kArEl] (圣诞)颂歌;赞美诗

blithe [blaiT] 无忧无虑的;漫不经心的

hatter [5hAtE] 帽商

melodious [mi5lEudjEs] 旋律优美的,悦耳动听的

名句诵读

I Hear America singing,the varied carols I hear.

The delicious singing of the mother,or of the young wife at work,or of the girl sewing or washing,Each singing what belongs to her and to none else,The day what belongs to the day—At night,the party of young fellows,robust,friendly,Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.