假狮子

(Maya Angelou, translated by Viv)

自由的鸟儿跃上了
风的背脊
而后顺流而下
直至风的尾巴
他在橘色的束束阳光
沐浴着他的翅膀
便大胆宣布
天空是属于他

然而那在笼里
踱着步的鸟儿
目光却无法穿过
愤怒的笼条
他的翅膀被修剪了
他的脚被束缚了
只有喉咙是自由的
于是他唱歌

笼中鸟唱着
诚惶诚恐的颤声
唱着未知的一切
他仍渴望着的一切
他的歌声飘往
那遥远的山丘上
因为他唱着的
正是自由

自由的鸟儿念想着另一阵微风
念想着柔柔的信风，穿过了树木的叹息
念想着肥美的虫子，在晨光照耀的草地等待
他以己之名命名天空

而笼中的鸟儿站在梦想的坟旁
他的影子爆发出噩梦一般的尖叫声
他的翅膀被修剪了
他的脚被束缚了
只有喉咙是自由的
于是他唱歌

笼中鸟唱着
诚惶诚恐的颤声
唱着未知的一切
他仍渴望着的一切
他的歌声飘往
那遥远的山丘上
因为他唱着的
正是自由

The Caged Bird

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.