Paul Revere's Ride - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
保罗·里维尔的骑行 - 亨利·沃兹沃斯·朗费罗
描绘美国独立战争英雄的传奇夜晚征程
Listen, my children, and you shall hear
听吧，我的孩子们，你们会听到
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
保罗·里维尔午夜骑行的故事，
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-Five;
在七五年四月的十八号；
Hardly a man is now alive
如今几乎已无人在世
Who remembers that famous day and year.
还记得那个著名的日子和年份。
He said to his friend, “If the British march
他对他的朋友说：“如果英军行军
By land or sea from the town to-night,
今晚从陆路或海路出城，
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
就在北教堂塔楼的钟架上挂一盏灯笼
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,—
作为信号灯，
One, if by land, and two, if by sea;
一个表示陆路，两个表示海路；
And I on the opposite shore will be,
我会在对岸等待，
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
准备骑马并发出警报
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
穿过米德尔塞克斯的每个村庄和农场，
For the country folk to be up and to arm.“
让乡民们起身备战。”
Then he said, “Good-night!“ and with muffled oar
然后他说，“晚安！”用裹着布的桨
Silently rowed to the Charlestown shore,
悄悄划向查尔斯镇的岸边，
Just as the moon rose over the bay,
就在月亮升起于海湾之上时，
Where swinging wide at her moorings lay
那艘英国战舰索默塞特号正停泊在那里
The Somerset, British man-of-war;
索默塞特，一艘英国战舰；
A phantom ship, with each mast and spar
一艘幽灵般的船，每根桅杆和横桁
Across the moon like a prison bar,
像监狱栏杆一样横跨月亮，
And a huge black hulk, that was magnified
巨大的黑色船体被放大了
By its own reflection in the tide.
它在潮水中的倒影让它显得更加庞大。
Meanwhile, his friend, through alley and street,
与此同时，他的朋友穿街走巷，
Wanders and watches with eager ears,
四处徘徊，竖起耳朵警惕地听着，
Till in the silence around him he hears
直到在周围的寂静中他听到
The muster of men at the barrack door,
营房门口士兵集结的声音，
The sound of arms, and the tramp of feet,
武器的声音，以及脚步的踏响，
And the measured tread of the grenadiers,
掷弹兵整齐的步伐，
Marching down to their boats on the shore.
朝着岸边的小船行进。
Then he climbed the tower of the Old North Church,
然后他爬上老北教堂的塔楼，
By the wooden stairs, with stealthy tread,
踩着木制楼梯，步履轻盈，
To the belfry-chamber overhead,
来到头顶上的钟楼房间，
And startled the pigeons from their perch
惊动了栖息在阴暗椽子上的鸽子
On the sombre rafters, that round him made
那些围绕着他形成的
Masses and moving shapes of shade,—
阴影块和移动的形状，
By the trembling ladder, steep and tall,
通过陡峭高耸、摇晃的梯子，
To the highest window in the wall,
来到墙上的最高窗户，
Where he paused to listen and look down
他在那里停下来倾听并向下看
A moment on the roofs of the town,
片刻间俯瞰城镇的屋顶，
And the moonlight flowing over all.
以及流淌在一切之上的月光。
Beneath, in the churchyard, lay the dead,
下方，在教堂墓地里躺着死者，
In their night-encampment on the hill,
他们在山丘上的夜间营地，
Wrapped in silence so deep and still
沉浸在如此深沉而静谧的寂静中
That he could hear, like a sentinel's tread,
以至于他能听见，如同哨兵的脚步声，
The watchful night-wind, as it went
警觉的夜风，当它掠过
Creeping along from tent to tent,
从一个帐篷爬到另一个帐篷，
And seeming to whisper, “All is well!“
仿佛在低语，“一切安好！”
A moment only he feels the spell
仅仅片刻，他感受到这个地方和时间的魔力
Of the place and the hour, and the secret dread
以及孤独钟楼与死者的隐秘恐惧
Of the lonely belfry and the dead;
但突然间，他的思绪全集中在远方
For suddenly all his thoughts are bent
河流扩展以迎接海湾的地方
On a shadowy something far away,
一条弯曲浮动的黑线
Where the river widens to meet the bay,—
就像一座船桥浮在涨潮之上。
A line of black that bends and floats
On the rising tide, like a bridge of boats.
Meanwhile, impatient to mount and ride,
同时，他迫不及待地要骑马出发，
Booted and spurred, with a heavy stride
穿着靴子，戴着马刺，迈着沉重的步伐
On the opposite shore walked Paul Revere.
保罗·里维尔走在对岸。
Now he patted his horse's side,
现在他轻拍着马的侧腹，
Now gazed at the landscape far and near,
时而远眺风景，时而近观，
Then, impetuous, stamped the earth,
然后，急不可耐地跺脚，
And turned and tightened his saddle-girth;
转身收紧马鞍带；
But mostly he watched with eager search
但他主要以急切的目光搜寻
The belfry-tower of the Old North Church,
老北教堂的钟楼，
As it rose above the graves on the hill,
它耸立在山上的墓地之上，
Lonely and spectral and sombre and still.
孤独、幽灵般、阴沉且寂静。
And lo! as he looks, on the belfry's height
瞧！当他凝视时，在钟楼的高处
A glimmer, and then a gleam of light!
一丝微光，接着一道亮光！
He springs to the saddle, the bridle he turns,
他跃上马鞍，调转缰绳，
But lingers and gazes, till full on his sight
却徘徊凝视，直到完全映入眼帘
A second lamp in the belfry burns!
钟楼里的第二盏灯燃起！
A hurry of hoofs in a village street,
村庄街道上急促的马蹄声，
A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark,
月光下的身影，黑暗中的轮廓，
And beneath, from the pebbles, in passing, a spark
而在下方，从鹅卵石间，闪过一星火花
Struck out by a steed flying fearless and fleet:
由无畏疾驰的骏马踏出：
That was all! And yet, through the gloom and the light,
仅此而已！然而，在光明与阴影中，
The fate of a nation was riding that night;
一个国家的命运那晚正在奔驰；
And the spark struck out by that steed, in his flight,
而这匹马在飞奔中踏出的火花，
Kindled the land into flame with its heat.
以其热量点燃了大地的烈焰。
He has left the village and mounted the steep,
他已经离开村庄，攀上了陡坡，
And beneath him, tranquil and broad and deep,
在他之下，宁静、广阔且深邃，
Is the Mystic, meeting the ocean tides;
是与海潮相汇的神秘之河；
And under the alders, that skirt its edge,
在沿岸生长的赤杨树下，
Now soft on the sand, now loud on the ledge,
时而轻柔于沙滩，时而响彻于岩架，
Is heard the tramp of his steed as he rides.
能听见他骑马行进的蹄声。
It was twelve by the village clock,
村里的钟表显示十二点，
When he crossed the bridge into Medford town.
当他穿过桥进入梅德福镇时。
He heard the crowing of the cock,
他听到了公鸡的啼鸣，
And the barking of the farmer’s dog,
以及农夫家狗的吠叫，
And felt the damp of the river fog,
感受到河雾的潮湿，
That rises after the sun goes down.
在太阳落山后升起。
It was one by the village clock,
村里的钟表显示一点，
When he galloped into Lexington.
当他驰骋进入列克星敦时。
He saw the gilded weathercock
他看见镀金的风向标
Swim in the moonlight as he passed,
在月光下闪烁当他经过，
And the meeting-house windows, blank and bare,
聚会所的窗户，空洞而荒凉，
Gaze at him with a spectral glare,
用幽灵般的目光注视着他，
As if they already stood aghast
仿佛它们早已惊恐地站着
At the bloody work they would look upon.
面对它们即将目睹的血腥工作。
It was two by the village clock,
村里的钟表显示两点，
When he came to the bridge in Concord town.
当他来到康科德镇的桥边时。
He heard the bleating of the flock,
他听到羊群的咩咩叫声，
And the twitter of birds among the trees,
和树林中鸟儿的啁啾声，
And felt the breath of the morning breeze
感受到晨风的气息
Blowing over the meadows brown.
吹拂过褐色的草地。
And one was safe and asleep in his bed
而有一个人正安然入睡在他的床上
Who at the bridge would be first to fall,
他将在桥边第一个倒下，
Who that day would be lying dead,
那一天他将躺在那里死去，
Pierced by a British musket-ball.
被一颗英军的火枪子弹击穿。
诗歌背景与主题
《保罗·里维尔的骑行》 是美国诗人亨利·沃兹沃斯·朗费罗（Henry Wadsworth Longfellow）创作的一首叙事诗，首次出版于1860年。这首诗以美国独立战争中的一个历史事件为背景，讲述了爱国者保罗·里维尔（Paul Revere）在1775年4月18日夜晚骑马传递警报的故事。这次骑行是为了警告殖民地民兵英军即将发动袭击的消息。
诗歌的主题围绕着勇气、爱国主义和团结精神展开，通过保罗·里维尔的英勇行动，展现了普通人在关键时刻如何挺身而出，为自由而战。同时，它也象征着信息传播的重要性以及人民觉醒的力量。
诗歌结构与风格
这首诗采用叙事形式，语言简洁明快，节奏感强烈，非常适合朗诵。朗费罗运用了大量的押韵和重复手法，使整首诗读起来流畅且富有感染力。例如，“Listen, my children, and you shall hear” 和 “Through every Middlesex village and farm” 等句子不仅增强了音乐性，还突出了故事的核心内容。
此外，诗中对自然景象的描写（如月亮、潮汐等）与紧张的情节相辅相成，营造出一种史诗般的氛围。
逐段解析
第一部分：引言
开篇几句直接点题：“Listen, my children, and you shall hear / Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere”，将读者带入那个激动人心的历史时刻。接着提到具体日期——“On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-Five”，并感叹如今已很少有人记得这一重要事件。
第二部分：计划与准备
接下来描述了保罗·里维尔和他的朋友制定的信号灯计划：“One, if by land, and two, if by sea”。这个细节体现了当时革命者的智慧与谨慎。随后，保罗划船前往查尔斯镇岸边，而他的朋友则留在北教堂等待英军动向。
第三部分：危机四伏的夜晚
诗中生动描绘了英军集结的场景，以及保罗的朋友攀爬教堂塔楼挂起信号灯的过程。这些画面充满了悬疑感，尤其是当朋友从高处俯瞰城镇时，感受到的孤独与恐惧。
第四部分：骑行开始
当保罗看到两盏灯亮起后，他立即上马出发。诗中写道：“He springs to the saddle, the bridle he turns”，表现了他的果断与敏捷。从此刻起，他的骑行成为整个故事的高潮。
第五部分：沿途见闻
保罗穿越村庄、桥梁和田野，一路上不断敲响警钟，唤醒沉睡的居民。诗中详细记录了时间线，比如午夜十二点经过梅德福镇，凌晨一点到达列克星敦，两点抵达康科德镇。这些细节让读者仿佛亲身经历这场惊心动魄的旅程。
第六部分：战斗与胜利
最后，诗人简要提及第二天爆发的战斗结果：农民们用步枪反击英军，并最终迫使他们撤退。虽然没有详述战斗过程，但足以激发读者对这段历史的兴趣。
深层含义与影响
《保罗·里维尔的骑行》 不仅仅是一首关于历史事件的诗歌，更是一种精神的象征。它提醒人们，在面对压迫与危险时，个体的勇气与集体的努力可以改变命运。正如诗中所说：“In the hour of darkness and peril and need, / The people will waken and listen to hear”。
此外，这首诗在美国文化中占有重要地位，常被用来教育年轻一代了解国家独立的艰辛历程。尽管某些细节可能并不完全符合史实，但它成功地塑造了一个英雄形象，激励无数人为自由和平等而奋斗。
总结
总的来说，《保罗·里维尔的骑行》是一部兼具文学价值与历史意义的作品。通过优美的语言和扣人心弦的情节，朗费罗成功地将一段重要的历史记忆镌刻在人们的脑海中，同时也传递了永恒的价值观：勇敢、团结与希望。
要点
这首诗通过生动的画面和紧张的情节，讲述了保罗·里维尔在独立战争前夕的英勇骑行，传递情报、唤醒民众，体现了普通人在历史关键时刻的巨大作用，激励人们珍惜自由并勇于担当。