W.H.奥登：《著名人物志》

　　　《著名人物志》

W.H.奥登（英）

廉价传记会告诉你他的所有身世遭际：

父亲如何痛打他，他如何走逃，

他青年时代怎样拼搏，怎样行动

使他成为一代枭雄：

他怎样作战，垂钓，打猎，彻夜工作，

尽管头晕，仍攀过罕至的山峰；为某海洋命名：

有些最新的研究者甚至写道

和你我一样，爱情曾使他泪湿青衫。

他集万千美誉于一身，却有一人令他情牵，

纳罕的评论者说，那人就居于他家中，

总做些精巧的家务活。那人

别无所求；或吹吹口哨；或是闷坐

又或在园中逡巡漫步；回复数封

他措辞优美的长信，但一信也不留存。

（张杰 译）

　　　　《Who's Who》

□W.H.Auden

A shilling life will give you all the facts：

How father beat him, how he ran away,

What were the struggles of his youth, what acts

Made him the greatest figure of his day：

Of how he fought, fished, hunted, worked all night

Though giddy, climbed new mountains; named a sea：

Some of the last researchers even write

Love made him weep his pints like you and me.

With all his honours on, he sighed for one

Who, say astonished critics, lived at home;

Did little jobs about the house with skill

And nothing else; could whistle; would sit still

Or potter round the garden; answered some

Of his long marvellous letters, but kept none.