翻电小品・18 惠特曼《草叶集・贰》

今天我来为大家读惠特曼《草叶集》中的诗篇。

这一首叫做《As I pondered in silence》。中文部分是我的译本，希望可以帮助大家理解。

《As I pondered in silence, returning upon my poems, considering lingering long, a phantom arose before me with a stressful aspect, terrible in beauty, age, and power, the genius of poets of old lands, as to me directing like flame its eyes, with finger pointing to many immortal songs, and a menacing voice: What singth you? it said. No still nor there is but one theme for ever enduring boards, and that is the theme of war, the fortune of battles, the making of perfect soldiers.》

Be it so, then I answered, I too, hearty shade, also sing war, and a longer and greater one than any. Wait in my book with varying fortune, with flight, advance and retreat, victory deferred and wavering, yet me think certain, or as good as certain, at the last, the field, the world, for life and death, for the body and for the eternal soul. Lo, I too am calm, chanting the chant of battles, I above all promote brave soldiers.

我正静静沉思，回顾曾写下的诗句，反复推敲，一再斟酌。

一个古老幽灵突然显现，年高望重，容貌惊人。

旧大陆伟大诗人的精神幻化而成，它双目炯炯，满面狐疑，手指指向那些不朽诗篇。它向我发问，振聋发聩：“你在歌颂什么？你可知道，不朽的诗人只歌颂一个主题：征战沙场，驰骋命运，造就完美战事！”

“本来如此，” 我回答他，“你这傲慢的魅影，我也在歌颂一场战争，前所未有，纵贯千秋。命运在我书中交错，生与死，灵与肉。这或许是更伟大的战役：逃离，进击，撤退，胜利的曙光忽明忽暗，遥遥无期。但，我几乎能肯定结局，这片战场无处不在。我也是在谱写战争的颂歌啊，歌唱无数勇敢的战士。这片战争的颜色……”