荐者按:惠特曼(1819-1892),美国最伟大的诗人。《草叶集》曾是美国文学乃至近代世界文学一部引起很大争议的诗集。但时至今日,曾经的争议都化为赞美。翻开《草叶集》,第一首诗就是“我歌唱一个人的自身”。可以说这是诗人对这个诗集的基本期望和自我告白。并且,这首诗还真切地反应了那个时代的美国知识分子精英对“民主”的理解和期待。因为是诗,特别是不朽的诗篇,都是人的内心观照。
One’s-Self I Sing
One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person,
Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.
Of physiology from top to toe I sing,
Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse,
I say the Form complete is worthier far,
The Female equally with the Male I sing.
Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power,
Cheerful, for freest action form’d under the laws divine,
The Modern Man I sing.