不要温和地走进那个良夜

不要温和地走进那个良夜[1](英語:Do not go gentle into that good night)是威尔士诗人迪伦·托马斯(Dylan Thomas,1914-1953)创作的一首十九行诗,也是他最著名的作品之一。[2]这首诗是在 1947 年托马斯和他的家人访问佛罗伦萨时写成的,1951年发表在Botteghe Oscure杂志上[3]

有人认为这首诗是托马斯为垂死的父亲而写,然而他的父亲直到 1952年圣诞节前才去世。[4][5]诗作没有正式标题,名句“不要温和地走进那个良夜”是全诗的第一行,并与“怒斥,怒斥光明的消逝”(Rage, rage against the dying of the light)组成叠句,在每一节末尾重复出现。

原文

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.[6]

格式

十九行诗由五节三行和一节四行组成,共有十九行。它的结构由两个重复的韵脚和两个叠句组成:第一节的第一行作为第二节和第四节的最后一行,第一节的第三行作为第三节和第五节的最后一行。这首诗的韵脚和叠句模式可以用下面的图示来表示。

叠句 一 (A1)

第二行 (b)

叠句 二 (A2)

第四行 (a)

第五行 (b)

叠句 一 (A1)

第七行 (a)

第八行 (b)

叠句 二 (A2)

第十行 (a)

第十一行 (b)

叠句 一 (A1)

第十三行 (a)

第十四行 (b)

叠句 二 (A2)

第十六行 (a)

第十七行 (b)

叠句 一 (A1)

叠句 二 (A2)

解析

概要

在诗作的第一节中,说话者鼓励他的父亲不要“温和地走进那个良夜”,而是要“愤怒,愤怒地反抗光明的消逝”。然后,在接下来的几节中,他列举了各种各样的人,用“智慧”、“善良”、“狂野”和“庄重”等词来描述他们,他们各自以自己的方式体现了诗歌的叠句。在最后一节中,说话者恳求他的父亲,他看到他在一个“悲哀的高处”,祈求他“用你激烈的泪水诅咒、祝福我吧”,并再次重复了叠句。

参考资料

  1. ^ 中文据巫宁坤译本。汪剑钊译「不要温和地走入那良夜」;陶永强译「别安然走进那良宵」;王烨、水琴译「不要驯顺地走进那个良夜」。
  2. ^ Dylan Thomas. Academy of American Poets. [1 June 2015]. (原始内容存档于28 August 2020). He took his family to Italy, and while in Florence, he wrote In Country Sleep, And Other Poems (Dent, 1952), which includes his most famous poem, "Do not go gentle into that good night." 
  3. ^ Ferris, Paul. Dylan Thomas, A Biography. New York: Paragon House. 1989: 283. ISBN 1-55778-215-6. 
  4. ^ Dylan Thomas: Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. BBC Wales. 6 November 2008 [18 December 2010]. (原始内容存档于27 November 2012). 
  5. ^ Thomas, David N. Fatal Neglect: Who Killed Dylan Thomas?. Seren. 2008: 19. ISBN 978-1-85411-480-8. 
  6. ^ Thomas, Dylan. The Collected Poems of Dylan Thomas. New York: New Directions. 1953: 128 (英语).