最近看到一个美国儿童诗人的作品，喜欢得不得了，跑去把他的诗集都买了来（当然是旧书）。谢尔·希尔弗斯坦（Shel Silverstain 1932-1999）是美国著名的诗人，创作歌手，作曲家，插画家等等。他为儿童写了许多诗，得到全世界喜爱。 

      I WON’T HATCH  ( 我不愿孵出来)

Oh I am a chicken who lives in an egg,
But I will not hatch, I will not hatch.
The hens they all cackle, the roosters all beg,
But I will not hatch, I will not hatch.
For I hear all the talk of pollution and war
As the people all shout and the airplanes roar,
So I’m staying in here where it’s safe and it’s warm,
And I WILL NOT HATCH! 

小鸡听说世界上有这么多危险都不愿离开它的壳了。

             The trap （陷阱）

Let us set a little trap for the Grinch, Grinch, Grinch.

We can catch him if we wait, wait, wait.

I shall be the hunter, and bold, bold, bold,

And you shall be the bait, bait, bait bait.

 Grinch 是儿童小说中人物，性情乖戾，暴躁，所以他说你去把它引来吧，哈

       . HAPPY ENDING?

There are no happy endings.
Endings are the saddest part,
So just give me a happy middle
And a very happy start. 

好，不要endings。

FALLING UP (我朝上摔了一跤)

I tripped on my shoelace
And I fell up—
Up to the roof tops,
Up over the town,
Up past the tree tops,
Up over the mountains,
Up where the colors
Blend into the sounds.
But it got me so dizzy
When I looked around,
I got sick to my stomach
And I threw down. 

想象力太丰富了

THE EDGE OF THE WORLD （世界的尽头）

Columbus said the world is round?
Don’t you believe a word of that.
For I’ve been down to the edge of the world,
Sat on the edge where the wild wind whirled,
Peeked over the ledge where the blue smoke curls,
And I can tell you, boys and girls,
The world is FLAT! 

原来地球是扁平的是从他那儿来的。

God’s Wheel ( 上帝的方向盘)

GOD says to me with a kind
of smile, "Hey how would you like
to be God awhile And steer the world?"
"Okay," says I, "I'll give it a try.

Where do I set?
How much do I get?
What time is lunch?
When can I quit?"

"Gimme back that wheel," says GOD.
"I don't think you're quite ready YET."

Gimme= give me. 这首比较正能量。

    Listen to the Mustn’ts ( 听听那些“不许”吧)

Listen to Mustn'ts, child, listen to the Don'ts.
Listen to the Shouldn'ts, the Impossibles, the Won'ts.
Listen to the Never Haves, then listen close to me.
Anything can happen, child, Anything can be. 

美国儿童的教育是这样的。

后记：

I feel more miserable after I read Shel , how come I can’t write as good as you.