【明報專訊】國家該怎愛？應該愛政權還是愛人民？美國詩人華特•惠特曼(Walt Whitman, 1819-1892)生於民主的國度，沒有這樣的煩惱，他的I hear America Singing(《我聽見美國在歌唱》)展現人們的快樂和敬業，歌頌美國的自由與多元。
◆I Hear America Singing 詩文
1＞ I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
2＞ Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
3＞ The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank1 or beam2,
4＞ The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
5＞ The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand3 singing on the steamboat deck,
6＞ The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter4 singing as he stands,
7＞ The wood-cutter's song, the ploughboy's on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission5 or at sundown,
8＞ The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,
9＞ Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
10＞ The day what belongs to the day-
11＞ at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
12＞ Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.
◆大意
1＞ 我聽見美國在歌唱，聽見那些不同的頌歌，
2＞ 機器匠在歌唱，每人唱着他的歌，快樂而強健的樣子
3＞ 木匠量度厚板和樑木時在唱歌，
4＞ 泥瓦匠上班和下班時在唱歌，
5＞ 船夫在船裏唱着屬於自己的歌，水手在輪船甲板上歌唱着，
6＞ 鞋匠坐在板凳上唱歌，帽匠則站着唱
7＞ 伐木工、耕童們在歌唱，無論早上，午休還是日落，
8＞ 母親、工作的少婦、縫洗衣裳的女孩那甜美的歌
9＞ 每個人都唱着只屬於自己的歌，
10＞ 白天歌唱屬於白天的歌──
11＞ 晚上，一群強壯友好的年輕小伙兒，
12＞ 引吭高唱他們雄壯動聽的歌。
■註譯
1. plank：木板
2. beam：樑
3. deckhand：普通水手
4. hatter：帽匠
5. intermission：中間休息
文：葉凱楓
圖：資料圖片
;){kind=small}
