我知道为何笼中鸟歌唱

猫蝶斋

我知道为何笼中鸟歌唱

（美）玛雅·安吉罗/作 韩晶宇/译

自由鸟一跃而上
风的后背
顺流直下
到气流落定
它的一双翅膀浸染
桔黄色阳光
敢把天空占领

但一只鸟高视阔步
在狭窄牢笼
难以看穿
狂暴的围栏
它双翅被修剪
双足被拴
因此它放开喉咙歌唱

笼中鸟放歌
颤颤惊惊发声
无知地咏唱万物
但心底还坚守渴望

它的曲调入耳

直达远山上

因为笼中鸟为自由而歌唱

自由鸟常常想起  另一股微风
和信风柔柔穿过飒飒作响的林间
胖胖蠕虫等候在清明媚晨的一块草地上
它以自我命名天空

但笼中鸟站在梦想的坟头
它的影子如噩梦的尖叫一般大喊
它的双翅被剪，双足被拴
因此它放开喉咙歌唱

笼中鸟放歌
颤颤惊惊出声
无知地咏唱万物
但心底还坚守渴望

它的曲调入耳

直达远山上

因为笼中鸟

为自由而歌唱

（猫蝶斋 2008年3月6日）
二改：2014-11-26


每日译诗后记：昨天休息，回看08年所译就的布可夫斯基系列，偶见早已遗忘的这首《我知道为何笼中鸟歌唱》，恍如隔世。于是，契合近段遭遇和心境，我再次作了修订，并郑重录入《难难忘》这本无望成书的书目。
另，昨夜或是照顾不周，奇朔又现咳嗽、流鼻涕的病症。近日温度见涨，已立夏，或是换上单衣太薄，她才病了？尽管前病纠缠月余，不过刚痊愈。

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Written by Maya Angelou

The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
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 fearful trill
of the 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
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
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.

作者简介：(born Marguerite Ann Johnson on April 4, 1928) an American author and poet who has been called "America's most visible black female autobiographer" by scholar Joanne M. Braxton. She is best known for her series of six autobiographical volumes, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first and most highly acclaimed, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), tells of her first seventeen years. It brought her international recognition, and was nominated for a National Book Award. She has been awarded over 30 honorary degrees and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her 1971 volume of poetry, Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Diiie.

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