作者罗伯特·史蒂文森(1850-1894),苏格兰作家、诗人,名著包括《金银岛》《化身博士》等。此为儿童诗集《一个孩子的诗园》(A Child's Garden of Verses)卷首诗。
艾丽森·坎宁安是作者幼时的保姆。
原文附在下面,欢迎指正。
致艾丽森·坎宁安#
——来自她的男孩
致那些长夜,你静卧不眠
将我渺小的命运照看;
致你的手掌,它轻柔和暖
引我安渡险恶的深渊;
致那些故事,你那诵读时的温婉
致所有苦痛,在你的安抚中舒缓
致苦乐交集的往昔里
你博大的悲悯与承担——
我再生的娘亲,我最初的伴,
你是圣洁的天使,降临在我童年。
那病弱的孩子,如今已安然老去,
收下吧,我的保姆!
你手中这本小书,正是我的敬献!
上天啊,请准下这祝愿:
愿读到这本书的孩子
都能有个保姆,高尚如她一般;
愿倾听我诗行的孩子
在那明亮炉边,在那摇篮中间,
也能听见声音里面
那让我童年欢欣的和善!
TO ALISON CUNNINGHAM
FROM HER BOY
For the long nights you lay awake
And watched for my unworthy sake:
For your most comfortable hand
That led me through the uneven land:
For all the story-books you read:
For all the pains you comforted:
For all you pitied, all you bore,
In sad and happy days of yore:—
My second Mother, my first Wife,
The angel of my infant life—
From the sick child, now well and old,
Take, nurse, the little book you hold!
And grant it, Heaven, that all who read
May find as dear a nurse at need,
And every child who lists my rhyme,
In the bright, fireside, nursery clime,
May hear it in as kind a voice
As made my childish days rejoice!
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