沃尔特·惠特曼

在这里你会发现长诗Drum-Taps诗人沃尔特·惠特曼

Drum-Taps

激起了我的愤怒,我想敲打警钟,催促无情的战争;但很快我的手指就发软了,我的脸也垂下来了,我只好坐在伤员身边安慰他们,或者默默地看着死去的人。先敲鼓吧,呵,歌曲,作为序曲,轻轻敲击着伸展的鼓点,我的城市里的骄傲和欢乐,她如何带领其余的人拿起武器——她如何发出暗示,她如何立刻用轻快的四肢,不等片刻,跳了起来;(出色的啊!啊,曼哈顿,我自己的,我无与伦比的!啊,在危险的时刻,在危急的时刻,你是最坚强的!哦,比钢还真!你跳得真快!你如何用冷漠的手脱下和平的外衣;你那轻柔的歌剧音乐怎么变了,取而代之的是鼓声和生活声; How you led to the war, (that shall serve for our prelude, songs of soldiers,) How Manhattan drum-taps led. 10 Forty years had I in my city seen soldiers parading; Forty years as a pageant--till unawares, the Lady of this teeming and turbulent city, Sleepless amid her ships, her houses, her incalculable wealth, With her million children around her--suddenly, At dead of night, at news from the south, Incens'd, struck with clench'd hand the pavement. A shock electric--the night sustain'd it; Till with ominous hum, our hive at day-break pour'd out its myriads. From the houses then, and the workshops, and through all the doorways, Leapt they tumultuous--and lo! Manhattan arming. 20 To the drum-taps prompt, The young men falling in and arming; The mechanics arming, (the trowel, the jack-plane, the blacksmith's hammer, tost aside with precipitation;) The lawyer leaving his office, and arming--the judge leaving the court; The driver deserting his wagon in the street, jumping down, throwing the reins abruptly down on the horses' backs; The salesman leaving the store--the boss, book-keeper, porter, all leaving; Squads gather everywhere by common consent, and arm; The new recruits, even boys--the old men show them how to wear their accoutrements--they buckle the straps carefully; Outdoors arming--indoors arming--the flash of the musket-barrels; The white tents cluster in camps--the arm'd sentries around--the sunrise cannon, and again at sunset; 30 Arm'd regiments arrive every day, pass through the city, and embark from the wharves; (How good they look, as they tramp down to the river, sweaty, with their guns on their shoulders! How I love them! how I could hug them, with their brown faces, and their clothes and knapsacks cover'd with dust!) The blood of the city up--arm'd! arm'd! the cry everywhere; The flags flung out from the steeples of churches, and from all the public buildings and stores; The tearful parting--the mother kisses her son--the son kisses his mother; (Loth is the mother to part--yet not a word does she speak to detain him;) The tumultuous escort--the ranks of policemen preceding, clearing the way; The unpent enthusiasm--the wild cheers of the crowd for their favorites; The artillery--the silent cannons, bright as gold, drawn along, rumble lightly over the stones; 40 (Silent cannons--soon to cease your silence! Soon, unlimber'd, to begin the red business;) All the mutter of preparation--all the determin'd arming; The hospital service--the lint, bandages, and medicines; The women volunteering for nurses--the work begun for, in earnest--no mere parade now; War! an arm'd race is advancing!--the welcome for battle--no turning away; War! be it weeks, months, or years--an arm'd race is advancing to welcome it. Mannahatta a-march!--and it's O to sing it well! It's O for a manly life in the camp! And the sturdy artillery! 50 The guns, bright as gold--the work for giants--to serve well the guns: Unlimber them! no more, as the past forty years, for salutes for courtesies merely; Put in something else now besides powder and wadding. And you, Lady of Ships! you Mannahatta! Old matron of this proud, friendly, turbulent city! Often in peace and wealth you were pensive, or covertly frown'd amid all your children; But now you smile with joy, exulting old Mannahatta!