书城外语那些年那些诗
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第43章 I Never Saw a Moor

Emily Dickinson

I never saw a Moor—

I never saw the Sea—

Yet know I how the Heather looks

And what a Billow be.

I never spoke with God

Nor visited in Heaven—

Yet certain am I of the spot

As if the Checks were given—

我从未看过荒原

艾米莉·狄金森

我从未看过荒原——

我从未看过海洋——

可我知道石楠的容貌

和狂涛巨浪。

我从未与上帝交谈

也不曾拜访过天堂——

可我好像已通过检查

一定会到那个地方。

背景知识

艾米莉·狄金森(Emily Dickinson),美国著名女诗人。她年少时热爱大自然,乐于出外游玩,与人交往举止优雅,一度是小城社交界之花。23岁时,她第一次随父亲远游到华盛顿,在费城邂逅华兹华斯,并深深地爱上了他,但华兹华斯已有妻室,这份感情注定是无望的。归来后,狄金森闭门谢客,终生未嫁。邻居偶尔瞥见她身穿的一袭白袍,称之为“白衣女尼”。

《我从未见过荒原》表现诗人身在贫瘠而风险重重的“人间”,而心在自由美好的“天上”。语言简约;意象实在、清晰,有深度;艺术上涉及宗教,平添魅力,耐人寻味。

单词注解

moor [muE] 荒原;沼泽

billow [5bilEu] 巨浪,波涛

spot [spCt] 斑点,斑块

名句诵读

I never saw a Moor—I never saw the Sea— Yet know I how the Heather looks And what a Billow be.

I never spoke with God Nor visited in Heaven—Yet certain am I of the spot As if the Checks were given—