《Ancestors》--by Dudley Randall 《祖先》——美国诗人:达德利。兰德尔
Why are our ancestors 为什么我们的祖先
always kings and queens 就一定是国王和王后
and never the commom people? 而不是普通的人?
Was the Old Country a heaven 以前的旧国度是个天堂吗
where every man was a king? 那里人人是国王吗?
Or did the slave traders 而或是由于奴隶贩子们
steal only the rich 只愿剽窃富人的钱
and leave the poor 而不光顾穷人
workers 工人
street cleaners 街道清洁工
garbage men 垃圾捡拾者
dish washers 盘子清洗工
cooks 厨师
and maids 和女仆的缘由?
behind?
My own ancestor 我自己的祖先
(research shows) (研究表明)
was a peasant 是个农民
who took care of the pigs 伺养猪群的农民
on the Royal farm 在皇家的农场里
and slept in the mud 他睡在泥坑中
among the pigs 和他的猪群睡在一起
Yet I';m as proud of him 然而我还是为他骄傲
as of any king or prince 就象他是一个国王或王子一般
dreamed up in fantasies 我凭空如此幻想着
of past glory. 在他已逝的辉煌里