11

As I have walk'd in Alabama my morningwalk,

I have seen where the she-bird themocking-bird sat on her nest in

the briers hatching her brood.

I have seen the he-bird also,

I have paus'd to hear him near at handinflating his throat and

joyfully singing.

And while I paus'd it came to me that whathe really sang for was

not there only,

Nor for his mate nor himself only, nor allsent back by the echoes,

But subtle, clandestine, away beyond,

A charge transmitted and gift occult forthose being born.

當(dāng)我清晨在亞拉巴馬漫步的時候，

我看見雌反舌烏在荊棘叢中的小巢里孵雛。

我也看見了雄鳥，

我停下來聽他在附近鼓著喉頭快樂地歌唱。

我停在那里的時候，想到他真不只是為著那地方而歌唱，

也不單是為他的伴侶，為他自己，也不是為那傳回來的回音，

乃是為了那微妙的，秘密的，在遠(yuǎn)處的，

新生的生命所承受的責(zé)任和對他的隱秘的贈禮。