Out of the cage of Cathay,
A bird is very happy.
High above the Pacific Ocean,
"I'm liberated," says he.
Crossing the ocean in 24 hours,
He finds him a home cozy.
Everyday he eats quaint food;
Everyday he watches fancy TV.
Soon our bird gets tired,
For no more fun can find he.
His wonders shared by no friends,
No BP in hand, he feels lonely
Worse that he has to learn new tricks,
So that life has continuity.
Our bird is now the age of old dog,
To be a student is not easy.
Our bird misses home a lot,
Where he life was care free,
Where he met birds of same feather,
Where he could visit his family.
Now every night he watches the sky;
The Big Dipper laughs at his stupidity.
He sings the song about Mao Tzetung,*
Wishing to be saved from calamity.
A land of strange trees is no fun,
Better to be where one should be.
Back in Cathay they have both:
Confucius and Coke in harmony.
A deep sigh our bird heaves,
His wings now weak and flabby,
His heart now weary of many a change,
He doubts his strength for another journey.
* Song from "The East Is Red', the grand dance epic in China in the 60s: "When we see the Big Dipper, we think of Mao, and we have direction in darkness."
今天忘记以上2000年的译文,又重新翻译一遍:
A bird escaped the China cage
Flew in the sky like a sage
I am liberated, said he
And enjoyed fun in a rage
A 24 hour flight over the ocean
Landed him happily in a place of pleasure
He enjoyed nice foods to the utmost
And watched fancy TV to the full measure
Yet as time passed his joys became less
The bird was no longer happy as before
His emotions were shared by no friends
Without BP, he was sad he heard no call no more
Worse was that he had to learn new skills
Without them how could he make a living?
The bird had reached the age of forty
What a pitiful student in classroom sitting?
The bird began to miss his homeland
A care-free scholar he used to be
Those of his feather often flock together
On holidays he visited friends and family
Now every night he looks up to the Big Dipper
And misses Mao Zedong the great leader
He wishes a delivery hand from the Savior
To get him out of this quagmire
There is no fun in the land of strange woods
It is much comfy just to stay at home
China is so big that she has all you want
Confucius'nd Coco Cola hand in hand roam
Lowering his head the bird gives a lengthy sigh
His wings feeble and tired for the wind high
His heart is now aged after half a life's migration
Is his strength left fit for another navigation?作者: Xiaoman 时间: 2016-1-11 14:07 倍可亲网友邀请我参加活动:http://www.backchina.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=358517&do=blog&quickforward=1&id=241405
谢谢方教授的诗,先顶再读。作者: Xiaoman 时间: 2016-1-12 11:12 * Song from "The East Is Red', the grand dance epic in China in the 60s: "When we see the Big Dipper, we think of Mao, and we have direction in darkness." 我听过【赞歌】大型歌舞。
收入我新书中的其中一首是 Caged Bird
By Maya Angelou
A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.
But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees