近年來,好少譯詩了。因為‘文化總統’奧巴馬的緣故,請了女詩人在就職典禮上當眾朗誦,聽了,便有沖動把她的詩譯了下來。在二月號《文化現場》的一篇稿,除了譯詩,我還寫出我對詩的看法,明顯地是與總統演詞內容存在政治色彩的默契。
Praise Song for the Day
By Elizabeth Alexander
Each day we go about our business,
walking past each other, catching each other’s
eyes or not, about to speak or speaking.
All about us is noise. All about us is
noise and bramble, thorn and din, each
one of our ancestors on our tongues.
Someone is stitching up a hem, darning
a hole in a uniform, patching a tire,
repairing the things in need of repair.
Someone is trying to make music somewhere,
with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum,
with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.
A woman and her son wait for the bus.
A farmer considers the changing sky.
A teacher says, Take out your pencils. Begin.
We encounter each other in words, words
spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed,
words to consider, reconsider.
We cross dirt roads and highways that mark
the will of some one and then others, who said
I need to see what’s on the other side.
I know there’s something better down the road.
We need to find a place where we are safe.
We walk into that which we cannot yet see.
Say it plain: that many have died for this day.
Sing the names of the dead who brought us here,
who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges,
picked the cotton and the lettuce, built
brick by brick the glittering edifices
they would then keep clean and work inside of.
Praise song for struggle, praise song for the day.
Praise song for every hand-lettered sign,
the figuring-it-out at kitchen tables.
Some live by love thy neighbor as thyself,
others by first do no harm or take no more
than you need. What if the mightiest word is love?
Love beyond marital, filial, national,
love that casts a widening pool of light,
love with no need to pre-empt grievance.
In today’s sharp sparkle, this winter air,
any thing can be made, any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp,
praise song for walking forward in that light.
一天禮贊在于歌 (譯稿)
女詩人朗誦時的神情
年輕時拍攝的女詩人
每一天我們忙于事務,
彼此擦肩而過,四目交投或
不顧而去,准備啟齒或交談中。
我們周圍全是雜聲。全是那些
荆棘般的聲音 ,剌耳、喧鬧,
猶如每一代的舌頭齊齊卷動。
有人縫著褶邊,織補一件
制服上的破洞,換換輪胎,
包括所有需要修理的東西。
某人在某處準備創寫音樂,
手持一對木匙敲擊油桶,
還有大提琴、擴音器、口琴、和音
一個婦人帶兒子等候巴士。
一個農夫關心不測風雲。
一個教師說,拿出鉛筆來。開始。
我們賴語言相交,語言
剌耳或悅耳,低訴的或慷慨陳詞,
曾過濾,及再過濾的語言。
我們越過塵土飛揚的道路,以及
記錄某些人等的意愿的高速公路;
他們想知道另一邊會有何事情發生
我知道沿路而下會出現更好的風光,
我們需要尋找一個安全的地方。
我們走向我們仍無法預知的地方。
說得簡單些:不少人因這日子死去。
歌唱死者之名,是他們帶我們前來,
是他們鋪設火車路軌,建架橋樑。
是他們采棉摘菜,堂皇大廈的
一磚一瓦,維修等等工作,
都是由他們一手完成的。
為奮鬥者而歌唱,為這日子而歌唱,
為每一個親手所寫的記號,
廚桌上可認辨得出的而歌唱。
有人依從愛人如已的信條而活
也有人相信不傷害他人或從不濫取
過多東西。最威力的字是愛時會怎樣呢?
愛超越婚姻、子女、國家。
愛投射出一大束光的氛圍。
愛并不一定優先於悲痛。
今天冬季的空氣,出奇地充滿活力,
任何事都可完成,任何句子都可以書寫
在沿在邊以及在尖端的地方。
讓我們為光明裡行走而歌唱