作者：马凯
出版社：外语教学与研究出版社
格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT
心声集：英汉对照试读：
Preface
China is well known for its cultural affinity with poetry. Classical poems, especially those following regulated patterns of rhythm and rhyme, are as gems in the nation’s cultural heritage.
Through the centuries, one generation of poets after another has contributed to a cornucopia of brilliant verse that has played no small part in recording history and carrying China’s cultural heritage forward. These poems are still very familiar to the tongue today. They are a perennial source of inspiration and ideas, attesting to man’s cultural edification and mental well-being; they are instrumental in fostering an exchange of personal feelings, the appreciation of art and the advance of social and cultural development.
The development of classical Chinese poetry over the past millennia and its enduring vitality are attributable fundamentally to the Chinese characters that serve as its carrier language. The square structure of these independent written forms, as monosyllables of four tones, allowed poets in China’s dynastic past to follow aesthetically viable tonal patterns and metrics, and construct a consummate poetic framework -- a thing of beauty in its equilibrium, rhythm, musicality, symmetry, and its succinctness. This has culminated in an accurate and concise language so pleasing in tonality and rhyme to the ear, and so easy to learn to recite, that all find joy therein.
As a professional economist who has worked for long years in government economic departments, I have developed a deep affection for Chinese culture and letters. I regard myself as an “aficionado” of classical Chinese poems. I started reading Tang dynasty poems and lyrical verse of the Song dynasty in my childhood. Later, I learned the rhythmic rules and tonal patterns of classical verse which encouraged me to write a first few pieces in my spare time. With the encouragement of family members and friends, I have published collections of my poem, including the Chants of a Wayfarer and Echoes of the Heart. These selected pieces record the major events at home and abroad that I experienced personally; some reflect those things I love or hate with a passion; some reflect my thoughts and observations on life, nature, loved ones and friends; and combined together, they sketch a trajectory of my personal life and career over the last six decades or so. To my immense delight, these poems have found resonance among qu te a few readers; they also give me the opportunity to make new friends through verse and compare notes with other poets. Indeed, reading, writing and appreciating poems has become an important part of my life.
On the occasion of the release of the English edition of the Echoes of the Heart, I would like to convey my heartfelt gratitude to Professor Ling Yuan and his team of translator-editors Ren Xiaomei, Peng Lin and Zhong Zhilan, translators Fan Haixiang and Ge Meng and editor Man Xingyuan of the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press for their translation and editorial work with attention to the minute detail, and to President Cai Jianfeng of the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press for his competent leadership. I would like also tothank Ms Karen Smith, a renowned Chinese art historian of Britain and a longtime friend from the former Chinese Literature Press, for reading through the final drafts of the poems and for her helpful suggestions. I am most indebted to Director-General Xu Lin of the Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters and President Li Pengyi of the China Education and Media Group for arranging this translation project; to Mr Li Zhaoxing, former Foreign Minister and incumbent President of the China Translators Association, and Professor Dai Xingyue of Peking University for taking time to read the first translation drafts and set the guideline for improvement; and to Director-General Chen Jinyu of the Counsellors’ Office of the State Council and President Chen Yulu of Renmin University for their unstinting support. My thanks are also due all those friends who have contributed to the English edition of the Echoes of the Heart.
I concluded the preface to my first poem collection, the Chinese edition of the Chant of a Wayfarer, by saying: “If a single poem or line in this book is beneficial to people and to this world, if the paper and ink consumed to produce this book and the time and effort put into it by my friends are not wasted, I would feel most gratified.” The spirit of that line also applies to this book, but I would like to add: I would feel very happy if this English edition of the Echoes of the Heart can enhance cultural exchange between China and other countries, if my international readers find this book useful for them to know a little better about China and its culture and its civil servants.马凯MA KAIApril 2012, Beijing
自序
中国在世界上素有“诗的国度”的美誉。特别是以格律诗为代表的中国古典诗词，是中华文化瑰宝中的明珠。几千年来，中华民族一代又一代人创作了大量脍炙人口的光辉诗篇，在记载历史、传承文化，启迪思想、陶冶情操，交流情感、享受艺术，丰富人的精神世界，推动社会文明进步等方面发挥了重要作用。中华古典诗词之所以延绵数千年，具有无穷的魅力和强大的生命力，重要原因在于它以汉字为载体，把汉字方块、独体、单音、四声的独特优势发挥得淋漓尽致，按照合乎美学规律的格律规则，形成了同时兼有均齐美、节奏美、音乐美、对称美和简洁美的大美诗体，使诗作语言精炼、声韵优美、易学好懂、上口好记，为中国历朝历代、男女老少所喜爱。
我是学经济学的，又长期在经济综合部门工作，但我对中国文化特别是中国古典诗词情有独钟，可以说，是一个中华古典诗词的“票友”。我自幼就喜读唐诗宋词。以后，学余工余，也尝试着按照中华诗词的格律规则写了一些小诗小词。在家人和友人的怂恿下，先后出版了《行中吟》、《心声集》等诗集。回过头看，这些习作，记录着我亲身经历的发生在中国大地上的一些刻骨铭心的事件，反映着我心灵深处的所爱所恨、所感所悟，流淌着我对生活、自然、家人、友人的热爱，留下了我几十年人生的足迹。诗集出版后，引起了一些读者的共鸣，以诗会友，享受着诗艺切磋的惬意。读诗、写诗、品诗，已成为我生命的一部分。
欣闻《心声集》英文版即将出版。在这里，我要对凌原教授及其团队包括任小玫、彭琳、仲志兰、满兴远、范海祥、葛萌等朋友的精益求精的翻译和编辑，对外研社社长蔡剑峰先生的领导组织工作，对著名的中国艺术史学者、前中国文学出版社英国专家凯伦·史密斯女士对全译文终稿的通读和宝贵意见，对许琳女士和李朋义先生的策划，对李肇星先生和戴行钺先生对译文初稿的认真审读和指导，对陈进玉和陈雨露等先生的支持，对所有为这本书的出版做出贡献的友人们表示衷心的感谢！
我在第一部诗集《行中吟》自序的结束语中曾写道：“倘若，或一首，或一句，于人有裨，于世有益，不废纸墨，不枉人时，足矣”。同样的话，也适用于本书。同时，还要加上一句：如果《心声集》英译本的出版，能够对中外文化交流做出一点小小的贡献，能够让国外读者从一个侧面对当代中国、对中国文化、对中国政府工作人员有更多一点了解，足矣。
是为序。马凯2012年4月于北京
CHAPTER I Musings and Inspirations 感悟篇
001 Sun, Moon, Man • Three Poems— to “Hillside Ram” (Shan po yang)I. Red Sun2003O Sun, with white rays you break the night;
Emitting red light, the snow you melt
Until fog gives way and spring leaps into sight.
Splendor your portent;
Lush green your escort.[1]
To fill vale and hill you send purple rays from the East;
The most promising light you boundlessly disseminate.
Rising,
You are brilliant;
Setting,
You remain brilliant.II. Bright Moon1992
Star-spangled sky, silvery galaxy,
A pagoda reflected in a pond wavy.
Who painted the tiny bridge so dainty?
So chaste, without blemish;
So modest, without flash.
In priceless serenity, you wax and wane,
Shedding but placid light down heaven.
Coming,
You are carefree;
Going,
You remain carefree.[2]III. Man in Himself1992
He who in his heart has the ocean
Sees no obstacle in his vision,
For he respires in universe, connects with heaven.
Coming with Spring,
Sending flowers blooming,
He’s there to give hill and dale a touch finishing.
How can he always be himself within?
Fame,
To him is mundane;
Gain,
Too, is mundane.山坡羊·日月人三首红日2003年
拔白破夜，
吐红化雪，
云开雾散春晖泻。
煦相接，
绿相偕，
东来紫气盈川岳。
最是光明洒无界。
升，
也烨烨；
落，
也烨烨。明月1992年
星空银厦，
粼波倒塔，
小桥倩影谁描画？
皓无瑕，
素无华，
悄悄来去静无价。
只把清辉留天下。
来，
无牵挂；
去，
无牵挂。自在人1992年
胸中有海，
眼底无碍，
呼吸宇宙通天脉。
伴春来，
润花开，
只为山河添新彩。
试问安能常自在？
名，
也身外；
利，
也身外。002 Sun-Watching— a five-character truncated quatrain1980
To break day, Sun leaps o’er oceans;
Airborne, it nourishes the multitude[3]
Ere turning to dip below the hills.
Whilst man does a quantum stride.五绝·观日
1980年
跃海破天明，
凌空沐物生。
转身山半落，
快马又一程。[4]003 Qiantang River Tides— a seven-character truncated quatrainSeptember 1984
From sky’s edge you in a single row come to roll,
Your rumbling rising to a deafening cavalry din,
Before surging into the sky with water to hurl.
Yank you to where you belong who ever can?七绝·钱塘观潮
1984年9月
遥看天边一线来，
涛声渐奏万骑雷。
拔江立水排空过，
试问谁能掣浪回。[5]004 Morning Shadowboxing— a five-character classical poem1992[6]
Posture commences barely at sunrise;
Movement floats no birds to arouse.
Every measured step quiet and soft goes;
Longevity is rare I deem it otherwise.
Translated by Peng Lin五古·晨练太极1992年
起势天方晓，
行云未惊鸟。
韵步柔无声，
不信寿星少。005 In Honor of a Friend— Patterned on Bai Juyi’s “Everlasting Longing” (Chang xiang si )March 1993
The Yellow River flows on,
The Yangtze River flows on,
Eastbound and beyond point of return.
Is liquor need’d to quench concern?
Long, long it takes when awaking,
Long, long it takes when dreaming.
Dreams vanish when mellowing.[7]
Back to the stairway you are as day is breaking.长相思·赠友步白居易原韵1993年3月
黄河流，
长江流，
流向东方不掉头。
何须酒解愁。
醒悠悠，
梦悠悠，
梦到美时恐止休。
天明还步楼。[8]006 Ode to Diversiform-Leaved Poplar— a seven-character truncated quatrainJuly 1993
Root’d in a desert skies you boldly blot out,
With foliage on steely thousand-year bole.
For one millennium upon death you fall not;
Ne’er to decay for another when you do fall.七绝·胡杨林赞1993年7月
根扎大漠敢遮天，
铁骨苍枝岁过千。
死后千年仍挺立，
倒还不朽又千年。007 Ode to Plum Blossom— Patterned on Lu You’s “Divination Song” (Bu suan zi )1998
By fallen petals you stand fair and sweet,
The unwitting apple of everyone’s eye.
Having sent grief packing and let ice melt,
To nurture sprouts you rains inspire.
To heralding spring you are a devotee,
To the envy of eyes popping out.
Bathed in snow and wind to stay dust free,
You stay clean year in, year out.卜算子·咏梅步陆游原韵1998年
俏立落花边，
无意偏得主。
才教冰融扫尽愁，
又唤催苗雨。
执著报新春，
哪管他花妒。
沐雪浴风不染尘，
岁岁洁如故。008 Insomnia— a seven-character truncated quatrain1998
I toss and turn aft suffering a stiff neck,[9]
As bamboos keep rustling in my heart.
If it helps the hard nut at hand crack,
For grey to touch my hair it matters not.七绝·难眠1998年
头虽落枕且翻身，
总有竹声绕在心。
但助难题得破解，
何妨晓镜又添银。[10]009 On Reading Jia Dao’s Poem— a seven-character truncated quatrainDecember 1998
Ready is paper and Chinese ink,
Yet ’tis travail to render sheets not blank.
Swirl of three lines amidst four fortnights,[11]
Ne’er pulled off a text whole from his guts.
To split the hair word by word,[12]
A wisp of his whisker he did rend.
To perfect wealth he asserted his wit,
I dare say not much pity he left and felt.
Translated by Ren Xiaomei七绝·读贾岛诗词有感1998年12月
墨研纸展落毫难，
两月三行未句篇。
字字推敲须捻断，
少留遗憾在生前。010 Night Gives Way to Day— a seven-character truncated quatrain2000
Preordained in universe is everything;
Infinite are time and tide through the ages.
No length of rope can pull back sun setting;
Night always ends to hasten sunrise.七绝·夜尽日圆2000年
万象苍穹总有缘，
千般岁月本无边。
绳长难系斜阳落，
夜尽正催旭日圆。011 Say No to Wishful Thinking— a seven-character truncated quatrain2000
’Tis as futile to catch the moon in a pond,
As trying to pick a bouquet from a mirror.
The arrow ne’er returns once the bow’s pulled;
No desert can be measur’d by flipping a finger.七绝·戒妄2000年
无奈池中空揽月，
可怜镜里枉摘花。
开弓徒挽回头箭，
屈指难量大漠沙。012 Evils of the Day— a seven-character regulated poemAugust 2005
Why not pass a ghost-written paper as one’s own,
Like grabbing money with no sense of guilt?[13]
In her pipe dream the fisherman’s wife lives on;[14]
The emperor flaunts his unseen “new raiment.”
He tells the public a lie, yet in his fashion he revels,
Unabash’d in a nakedness to which he is oblivious.
Impurities ne’er survive the sifting of high waves;
Awaiting he who goes his own way is deep abyss.七律·时弊2005年8月
代笔何妨顶桂冠，
图财哪管愧苍天。
渔婆美梦接着做，
皇帝新衣照旧穿。
作秀人嘲还窃喜，
吹牛自破不羞惭。
从来大浪淘沙尽，
一意孤行万丈渊。013 Keep Off Fame and Gain— a five-character truncated quatrainMarch 2001
Rank procured may go like floating clouds;
Vanity secured may drown with ebbing tides.[15]
Apathy to vanity sets one’s mind in repose;[16]
To truth I return with uncut jade in arms.
Translated by Peng Lin五绝·淡泊人生2001年3月
显贵浮云去，
虚名逐浪沉。
淡泊心守静，
抱璞我归真。014 Ode to Moral Integrity— a five-character truncated quatrainSeptember 2001[17]
Plum flower, quashed, the balmiest remains;[18]
Cinnabar, ground, has its crimson hue unfad’d.[19]
Limestone, kilned, as white as snow becomes;[20]
Jade, broken, sees its purity uncompromis’d.五绝·气节赞2001年9月
梅碾香犹在，
丹磨赤自存。
石焚洁似雪，
玉碎质还真。015 My Study— a five-character truncated quatrainDecember 2001
Refined room scented by ink splash’d,
In reading books serene mind rejoices.
Plain tea becoming to tunes age-old,
My clumsy brush novel idea moistens.
Translated by Ge Meng五绝·书斋2001年12月
室雅香泼墨，
心清趣读书。
粗茶和古韵，
拙笔润新符。016 Anticipation— a five-character truncated quatrain2002
Hoeing being over, autumn harvest next comes;
Once a channel’s dug, water is expected to stream.
When a lady conceives, ’tis labor she imagines,
Like one who aches for a boat to anchor home.五绝·企盼2002年
锄罢盼秋收，
渠成待水流。
怀胎足满月，
翘首望归舟。017 Practicing Calligraphy— a classical poemSeptember 2002
Once a piece of calligraphy is conceiv’d,
’Tis time in a brush momentum to build.
Dots and hues embellished with facility,
As the wrist moves up and down freely.
In brimful verve strokes twist and turn,
Go off and on with untrammel’d abandon.
Big and small are in picturesque disorder;
Long and short alternate ’tween each other.
Thick and thin weigh’d in balance,
Spacing handl’d with care judicious.
Intangibles and tangibles complement;
Setting off mutually are black and white.
Lines look at once broken and link’d;
Beginnings are in endings echo’d.
Unrestrained is style, strict are rules;
Hard practice in virtuosity culminates.
Translated by Ge Meng古风·学书2002年9月
谋篇在胸，
蓄势贯笔。
点化裕如，
提按惬意。
折转酣畅，
往收俊逸。
大小错落，
长短交替。
粗细适宜，
疏密得体。
虚实相生，
黑白互济。
断连呼应，
首尾一气。
法而不拘，
功到自器。[21]018 On Reading “Tao Te Ching”— a seven-character truncated quatrainMarch 2003
Beyond human will autumn and spring shift;
Leaves wither, twigs sprout, ’tis predestin’d,[22][23]
Through non-action man finds his true self;[24]
In judicious deportment rests peace of mind.
Translated by Ge Meng七绝·读《道德经》2003年3月
春来秋往非人力，
叶老枝新本必然。
似是无为真自在，
难得有度果安恬。019 Thoughts on Learning Poetry— a five-character regulated quatrainJune 2003
As limpid water can encompass the moon,
A soft brush can rein in a dragon.
When from its tip flow feelings genuine,[25]
Will awe-inspiring qi not brim within?
Translated by Ren Xiaomei五绝·学诗2003年6月
水淡能收月，
毫柔也纵龙。
真情流笔下，
大气溢胸中。020 Reading into Midnight— a five-character truncated quatrainAugust 2003
I desire nocturnal quiet when reading;
For peace of mind I drill in cursive script.
In spite of myself I burst into chuckling,
Only to hear my wife ask what time is it.五绝·夜读2003年8月
读书贪夜静，
习草养心清。
不禁失声笑，
妻曰已几更。021 Tangible Things I • Six Poems— in five-character truncated verseNovember 2003I. Towering Mountain
Motionless on earth, you pierce skies;
To a sweeping landscape your crest opens.
Rock-firm you are as you brave gales,
Gathering rains that wash down streams.[26]II. Limpid Stream
You go away in abundance to join skies,
Only in streams of thawing snow to return.[27]
Shapeless, you take after your containers;
Flower after flower you feed and moisten.III. Raindrops
You wash lands green and comb willows soft,
And rouge and moisten so many visages.
Where you land you make quick work of dust,
Filling human world with air that refreshes.IV. Auspicious Snow
You dress up a thousand hills like a jaded coat;
Ten thousand li is cleans’d ’mid flakes swirling.
When melting, you disappear traceless from sight,
Before gathering yourself to nourish spring.[28]V. High Wind
You caress flowers and awaken the land;
Fresh aroma you send and sway shadows.
Redundant boughs in your way are prun’d,
As you whip up sand to steel man’s bones.VI. Gritty Grass
Without a fuss you far and wide grow,
And thrive in the crevices of high cliffs.
With roots defying death under snow,
You green the world when spring comes.五绝·咏物六首2003年11月崇山
坐地擎天立，
凌空放眼收。
迎风磐不动，
纳雨水争流。澈水
坦荡连天去，
清流化雪来。
柔随千器异，
润入万花开。沐雨
洗绿轻梳柳，
滴红细润颜。
尘埃一扫尽，
清气满人间。瑞雪
玉落千峰素，
花飞万里澄。
无痕融水去，
尽在蕴春生。长风
拂花大地，
摇影送清馨。
剪过繁枝落，
沙飞傲骨生。劲草
遍野无声长，
悬崖有隙生。
雪压根不死，
春到绿乾坤。022 Tangible Things II • Six Poems— in five-character truncated verseDecember 2004I. Winter Plum Flower
When snow falls she looks sweeter,
Her scent wafting ’mid flakes swirling.
It matters not in this duo who is better,
Dancing a duet to bring back spring.II. Spring Orchid
Being wont to inhabit a vale sequestered,
Who mov’d her to town she knows not.[29]
In her refusal to wallow in the west wind,
Untarnish’d is her scent and delicate.III. Summer Lotus
In her statuesque form she stands unsoil’d,
Displaying twin flowers in sheer innocence.
Her root does snap, her fibers keep it join’d;
Delicate and spellbinding is her fragrance.IV. Autumn Chrysanthemum
As a hundred flowers vie for spring’s favor,[30]
She blooms belated, alone, by East Fence.
When frostbitten, she becomes daintier;
The later she is, the sweeter her redolence.V. Emerald Pine
On a cliff the pine stoic and curvy soars,
High its branches, low the sun drops.
With clouds drifting in jumbles,
Even greener it looks when frost strikes.VI. Sylphlike Bamboo
Pointing to the sky she from soil comes;[31]
When jointing, she grows an inch a time.
Disdaining vanity, dress up she ne’er does,
And would rather break than succumb.五绝·咏物又六首2004年12月冬梅
雪漫催花俏，
花香伴雪飞。
何须争上下，
共舞唤春归。春兰
原本居幽谷，
谁移闹市中。
依然香淡雅，
不肯共西风。夏荷
婷婷不染身，
并蒂俩天真。
藕断丝难断，
淡香也醉人。秋菊
百卉春争艳，
东篱独后开。
凌霜花更放，
别有晚香来。青松
壁峭苍虬劲，
枝高落日低。
乱云从眼过，
犹绿见霜期。修竹
破土指云霄，
一节一步高。
从来无媚饰，
宁断不弯腰。023 Tangible Things • Four Poems— in five-character truncated verseFebruary 2009I. Raindrops
Florid pearls dance in a swirl;
Only in wind do they vanish.
Quietly they trickle into soil
To moisturize the land afresh.II. Thunder
A thick pall of clouds closes in,
Hiding Sun behind blinding haze.
Thunder God comes roaring in,
To bring infinite blue back to eyes.III. Leaves Frostbitten
When the early frost arrived,
Few sprigs were rouged faintly.
By the time all hills turn red,
’Tis not too late to smile heartily.IV. Snowflakes
Like uncolored flowers in the sky flying,
They with layered gauze cover the land.
Cleansing the air of particles floating,
Freshness to home after home they send.五绝·咏物四首2009年2月雨点
点点跳花珠，
风来扫却无。
悄然滴入土，
润野故如初。雷公
压城云不开，
蔽日起阴霾。
自有天公吼，
长空入目来。霜叶
初寒打叶时，
浅晕两三枝。
及看千山赤，
开颜笑未迟。雪花
飞天一色花，
落地几层纱。
尽滤浮尘去，
清新入万家。024 Reflections • Four Poems— in seven-character truncated verseApril 2009I. Man Written in Capitals
Sleeves unsoil’d, he is free from dust.
Cloaked in lunar light, away he toils.
Using blue sky as paper, dipping a mount
In river and lake, he writes “MAN” in capitals.II. Mountain Woods
Rain or shine, clouds curl or uncurl;
Against rain and wind woods cling to root.
With leaves frostbitten in frigid fall,
In full effulgence they wear their fiery best.III. A Particle of Dust
Be it praise, blame, gain, or loss, I’d stay composed.
Rights, wrongs, merits, demerits are judg’d by others.
Returning to soil, I look up at the sky unregrett’d.
After all, but a particle of dust I am in the Cosmos.IV. Barely a Pause
Eastward the mammoth river tumbles,
Rippling and foaming without letup.
To draw notice it ebbs and flows,
Coming and going with barely a stop.七绝·感悟四首2009年4月大写人
两袖清风不染尘，
一衣明月尽耕耘。
蓝天作纸山为笔，
饱蘸江湖大写人。映山林
云舒云卷任晴阴，
斜雨横风咬定根。
又是秋寒霜打叶，
依然红火映山林。一介尘
毁誉得失自定神，
是非功过在人心。
仰天无愧安归土，
原本星空一介尘。几曾留
大江滚滚向东流，
浪沫嘈嘈总不休。
时起时伏争耀眼，
匆来匆去几曾留。025 The Peony— a seven-character regulated poemJuly 2009
Competition and contention you never know;
Amid escorting green quietly you grow.
Queen of the land with charms a thousand,
All blossoms you lead in poses a myriad.
Favored erstwhile in mansions on high,
Your divine aroma sweeps far and nigh.
A latecomer in springtime rails, be you may,
The same coronals on you never sway.
Translated by Peng Lin七律·牡丹2009年7月
从来不与众花争，
绿叶相扶默默生。
广纳千娇成国色，
兼收万态冠群英。
曾居华贵高堂客，
早泛天香百姓朋。
纵使春阑才吐艳，
依然无愧状元名。026 Reader’s Ruminations • Ten Poems— in seven-character truncated verseJanuary 2007I. Books[32]
To the three realms high-piled books lead,
Like beacons for the journey of our lives.
Or akin to soothing rain and vernal wind,
All books are lifelong friends and teachers.II. A Book Flipped Open
The door opens to a yard with a riot of flowers;
Weed and broken twigs can’t hide their splendor.
Heady is their scent wafted by nectar collectors;
Rotten or in ashes, they all make fine fertilizer.III. Good Books[33]
Good books are worth reading for the hundredth time;
From reading and rereading my muse refreshes.
With eyes feasted by this family heirloom,
Gratifying are plain tea and humble rooms.IV. Intensive Reading
Mellow wine is brew’d with cumulat’d effort;
Once sipped, its fragrance lingers around.
Much meditation is need’d to get to its root;
Only from enlightenment can truth be found.V. Extensive Reading
Books, too, are made for speedy browse,
That opens horizons in ways cumulative.
Let their numbers be imbedd’d in brains,
So need’d books you can readily retrieve.VI. Tireless Reader[34]
On pillow, in bathroom, during triple spare time,
What a delight it is, the sea of books to roam!
Reading under a lamp I find the eve fleeting,
And mumble to fetch books when dreaming.VII. Curious Learner[35]
Take with a grain of salt what certain seems,
For truth emerges only with dogg’d hunting.
In a cycle an old doubt goes, a new one comes.
Reciprocat’d are learning and questioning.VIII. Buying Books
’Tis hard to walk through a book fair thronged;
There are too many books shelv’d for one to count.
’Tis as pleasing to pan for nuggets buried in sand
As to buy a book at a deduction of seventy percent.IX. Chosen Books Ditched
Sandwiched ’tween stacks, by book-walls besieged,
I find it hard for eyes from shelf to shelf to roam.
Through much sifting seven, eight books are garnered
— Only to have the basket emptied one more time.
试读结束[说明：试读内容隐藏了图片]