我在幻境中徘徊了一整夜，轻快地迈着步子，飞快地无声地迈着步子，停了下来，睁着眼睛在熟睡者闭着的眼睛上弯着腰，徘徊着，困惑着，迷失了自我，不协调的，矛盾的，停顿着，凝视着，弯着腰，停了下来。它们伸展着，一动不动，看上去多么庄严!在摇篮里的孩子们，他们呼吸得多么安静啊!那些愁眉苦脸的人，那些尸首惨白的人，那些醉鬼青灰色的脸，那些战场上伤痕累累的尸体，那些在坚固的房门里精神错乱的人，那些神圣的白痴，那些刚从门洞里出来的新生儿和从门洞里出来的垂死的人，黑夜笼罩着他们，包围着他们。这对夫妇平静地睡在他们的床上——他的手掌放在妻子的臀部上，妻子的手掌放在丈夫的臀部上。姐妹们在他们的床上相亲相爱地睡在一起，男人在他们的床上相亲相爱地睡在一起。瞎子睡着了，聋哑人睡着了，囚犯在监狱里睡得很好——逃跑的儿子睡着了;明天要被绞死的那个杀人犯——他睡得怎么样?那个被谋杀的人，他怎么睡觉?爱不求回报的女人睡着了，爱不求回报的男人也睡着了，整天密谋的金钱贩子头子睡着了，那些暴怒和奸诈的人——全都睡着了。我站在黑暗中，低垂着眼睛，看着最痛苦最不安的人，我用手在离他们几英寸的地方来回抚摸，安慰他们，不安的人沉在床上——他们断断续续地睡着了。 Now I pierce the darkness--new beings appear, The earth recedes from me into the night, I saw that it was beautiful, and I see that what is not the earth is beautiful. I go from bedside to bedside--I sleep close with the other sleepers, each in turn, I dream in my dream all the dreams of the other dreamers, 30 And I become the other dreamers. I am a dance--Play up, there! the fit is whirling me fast! I am the ever-laughing--it is new moon and twilight, I see the hiding of douceurs--I see nimble ghosts whichever way I look, Cache, and cache again, deep in the ground and sea, and where it is neither ground or sea. Well do they do their jobs, those journeymen divine, Only from me can they hide nothing, and would not if they could, I reckon I am their boss, and they make me a pet besides, And surround me and lead me, and run ahead when I walk, To lift their cunning covers, to signify me with stretch'd arms, and resume the way; 40 Onward we move! a gay gang of blackguards! with mirth-shouting music, and wild-flapping pennants of joy! I am the actor, the actress, the voter, the politician; The emigrant and the exile, the criminal that stood in the box, He who has been famous, and he who shall be famous after to-day, The stammerer, the well-form'd person, the wasted or feeble person. I am she who adorn'd herself and folded her hair expectantly, My truant lover has come, and it is dark. Double yourself and receive me, darkness! Receive me and my lover too--he will not let me go without him. I roll myself upon you, as upon a bed--I resign myself to the dusk. 50 He whom I call answers me, and takes the place of my lover, He rises with me silently from the bed. Darkness! you are gentler than my lover--his flesh was sweaty and panting, I feel the hot moisture yet that he left me. My hands are spread forth, I pass them in all directions, I would sound up the shadowy shore to which you are journeying. Be careful, darkness! already, what was it touch'd me? I thought my lover had gone, else darkness and he are one, I hear the heart-beat--I follow, I fade away. O hot-cheek'd and blushing! O foolish hectic! 60 O for pity's sake, no one must see me now! my clothes were stolen while I was abed, Now I am thrust forth, where shall I run? Pier that I saw dimly last night, when I look'd from the windows! Pier out from the main, let me catch myself with you, and stay--I will not chafe you, I feel ashamed to go naked about the world. I am curious to know where my feet stand--and what this is flooding me, childhood or manhood--and the hunger that crosses the bridge between. The cloth laps a first sweet eating and drinking, Laps life-swelling yolks--laps ear of rose-corn, milky and just ripen'd; The white teeth stay, and the boss-tooth advances in darkness, And liquor is spill'd on lips and bosoms by touching glasses, and the best liquor afterwa