Robert Frost (1874-1963) was born in San Francisco. He was one of America's leading 20th-century poets and a four-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize. An essentially pastoral poet often associated with rural New England, Frost wrote poems with philosophical dimensions transcend any region.
佛洛斯特(1874-1963)
生于旧金山，是美国最受爱戴广被阅读的诗人之一。基本上他是个田园诗人，多写同新英格兰州乡间有关的事物，但他诗中的哲思却不受地域的限制。
Acquainted with the Night
I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain─and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.
I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.
I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,
But not to call me back or say good-by;
And further still at an unearthly height,
One luminary clock against the sky
Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.
夜的知心
我曾是夜的知心。
我曾往雨里去──又从雨中来。
我曾把最远的街灯走尽。
我曾下顾最悲惨的市巷。
我曾走过巡更人的身边
而低垂我眼，不愿开腔。
我曾站定且踩息足音
当远处一声断呼
从另一条街传过屋顶，
但不是叫我回去或说再见；
而更远处高入云霄，
一座夜光的钟顶着天
宣称这时辰既不幻也不真。
我曾是夜的知心。
[简析]
这首十四行诗，叙述诗人在城市里的夜游。独自一个人穿街越巷，整座城市属于他，除了偶尔碰到一个巡更人。在这样的夜里，静得可听到自己的脚步声。而从远处传过屋脊的一两声断呼，更使入睡的城市显得宁谧而不沉寂。在这种时候，时间一点都不重要。顶着天的夜光钟于是成了夜景的一部分，无所谓对或错，准或不准，真或幻的问题了。
The Pasture
I'm going out to clean the pasture spring;
I'll only stop to rake the leaves away
(And wait to watch the water clear, I may)
I sha'n't be gone long.─You come too.
I'm going out to fetch the little calf
That's standing by the mother.
It's so young
It totters when she licks it with her tongue.
I sha'n't be gone long.─You come too.
牧场
我正要去清理牧场的泉水；
只去耙耙叶子
(等着看水清，也许)
我不会待太久──你也来吧。
我正要去捉小牛
它站在母亲的身边。那么幼小
她用舌头舔它都会使它站不稳。
我不会待太久──你也来吧。
【简析】佛洛斯特常年住在农庄，他的许多诗都是描写农庄的日常生活及对大自然的观察。这些诗虽然浅易近人，却常寓有浓厚的生活情趣及深邃的人生哲理。这首诗也不例外。你也许正赖在床上看书，或睡懒觉。外面阳光那么好，你还是起来跟我到农场上去走一走吧。看耙过树叶的泉水，如何澄清；看刚生下来的小牛，如何挣扎着站稳脚步。不会耽搁太多时间的，你来吧！
A Minor Bird
I have wished a bird would fly away,
And not sing by my house all day;
Have clapped my hands at him from the door
When it seemed as if I could bear no more.
The fault must partly have been in me.
The bird was not to blame for his key.
And of course there must be something wrong
In wanting to silence any song.
小鸟
我曾希望一只鸟飞开，
别尽在我屋旁磨他的声带；
在门口对他大拍其手
当我到了忍无可忍的时候。
错处必多少在我。
鸟的音调没有罪过。
而想让歌声静止
当然也有点谬误。
[简析]
人们常本位主义地以自己的好恶与心情看待身边的事物。更荒谬的是，把本来属于万物的土地与天空据为己有，以为自己握有地契产权，便天经地义地是它唯一的主人，神圣不可侵犯。诗人承认想赶走一只在屋旁唱歌的小鸟是有点不对劲，但如果这只小鸟是聒噪的乌鸦呢？
转载自英汉对照《让盛宴开始--我喜爱的英文诗》，非马编译，书林出版有限公司，台北，1999年6月
