64. HOPE IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS

Hope is the thing with feathers
——Emily Dickinson
Hope is the thing with feathers
希望是长着翅膀的鸟儿，
That perches in the soul
栖居在人们的灵魂之中，
And sings the tune without the words
吟唱着没有歌词的曲调，
And never stops at all
永无止息。
And sweetest in the gale is heard
在风暴中它的歌声最为甜美；
And sore must be the storm
风暴必然会带来痛苦，
That could abashed the little bird
风暴会令小鸟窘困惊慌，
That kept so many warm
它却留给我们如斯温暖。
I've heard it in the chillest land
我已在最荒寒的陆地上，
And on the strangest sea
也在最陌生的海洋中听到，
Yet, never, in extremity
但它纵然身处绝境，
It asked a crumb of me
也不向我索取分毫。