一个孩子的诗园

夜晚的童话
在每个漫漫的长夜中，
当母亲关了我屋里的灯，
行进的人群就出现在我眼前，
清晰得就像在白昼那般。
国王和皇帝率领着军队，
士兵都拿着不同的武器，
队伍浩浩荡荡地前行，
白天从未有过这样的情景。
绿草坪上的大马戏团
也没有过这么壮观的表演；
各种的野兽和各类的人群
都列队成行雄赳赳地行进。
刚开始他们的步伐并不快，
随后行进的速度渐渐加快，
我一直紧贴在他们的身旁，
直到我们一起步入梦乡。
YOUNG NIGHT THOUGHT
All night long and every night,
When my mama puts out the light,
I see the people marching by,
As plain as day, before my eye.
Armies and emperors and kings,
All carrying different kinds of things,
And marching in so grand a way,
You never saw the like by day.
So fine a show was never seen
At the great circus on the green;
For every kind of beast and man
Is marching in that caravan.
At first they move a little slow,
But still the faster on they go,
And still beside them close I keep
Until we reach the town of sleep.
海盗的故事
我们三个在草场的秋千上摇摆，
我们三个乘着草地上的篮子远行。
春天的风儿在大地上使劲儿地吹，
草浪的起伏恰似海上浪花翻滚。
漂浮在草浪上，今天我们去哪里航行，
要小心天气的变化，用星星做导航？
掌稳小船的舵，是去非洲，去普罗维登斯①
或是巴比伦，还是开往马拉巴②的方向？
嗨！有一群怪兽在海上咆哮——
是草原上的牛群在冲撞、怒吼！
瞧它们那发狂的样子，赶快逃，
让我们驶向栅门的港口、花园的海岸。
①普罗维登斯是美国罗德岛州的首府。
②马拉巴是印度的省名，1752年曾经被英国统治。
PIRATE STORY
Three of us afloat in the meadow by the swing,
Three of us aboard in the basket on the lea.
Winds are in the air, they are blowing in the spring,
And waves are on the meadow like the waves there are at sea.
Where shall we adventure, to-day that we're afloat,
Wary of the weather and steering by a star?
Shall it be to Africa, a-steering of the boat,
To Providence, or Babylon, or off to Malabar?
Hi! But here's a squadron a-rowing on the sea—
Cattle on the meadow a-charging with a roar!
Quick, and we'll escape them, they're as mad as they can be,
The wicket is the harbour and the garden is the shore.