風景使他想起母親的形象
他記得山的高度不斷增長:
用勘測圖筆的細尖他深情追蹤
所有姓氏都在熟悉的地方。

行走在靜靜水邊他迷失於綠色牧場;
低垂美麗的頭, 戀慕而不敢同躺,
對地球的笨女兒們而言他確象一隻天鵝,
“親愛的”高貴的嘴在可愛的耳廓中鳴唱。

樹蔭下夏季樂隊正帶演奏樂章
“可愛的孩子,要象這些根一樣勇敢”, 他聽到他們講:
將這好消息高興地帶給一個處於危險中的世界
他微笑着,準備好了與任何陌生人爭講。

然而這個先知, 回家的時日結束了,
接受來自他如此保衛的這個國家的奇特歡迎:
那樂隊吼叫着“懦夫,懦夫”,發着人類熱病,
那女巨人拖曳較近, 叫喊“騙子”。

Adolescence

By landscape reminded him of his mother's figure
The mountain heights he remember get bigger and bigger:
With the finest of mapping pens he fondly traces
All the family names on the familiar places.

Among green pastures straying he walks by still waters;
Surely a swan he seems to earth's unwise daughters,
Bending a beautiful head, worshipping not lying,
"Dear" the dear beak in the dear concha crying.

Under the trees the summer bands were playing
"Dear boy, be brave as these roots," he heard them saying:
Carries the good news gladly to a world in danger
Is ready to argue, he smiles, with any stranger.

And yet this prophet, homing the day is ended,
Receives odd welcome from the country he so defended:
The band roars "Coward, Coward," in his human fever,
The giantess shuffles nearer, cries "Deceiver."

----W.H.Auden