I Hear America Singing

Image
• People: happy, strong, proud, confident, hardworking and living harmoniously with others. • Country: peaceful, productive, promising
Theme
• From urban to rural, from sea to land, creative labor exists everywhere, which is the core of American dream. • The poem consists of Whiteman’s all concepts of modern people and life : singing for the flourishing and democratic America, showing the dignity and greatness of the workers, full of optimistic attitudes to life and the world.
I Hear America Singing — Walt Whitman
• I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, • 我听见美洲在歌唱，我听见各种不同的颂歌 • Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong, • 机器匠在歌唱着，他们每人歌唱着他的愉快而强 健的歌， • The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam, • 木匠在歌唱着，一边比量着他的木板或梁木，
I Hear America Singing
《我听见美洲在歌唱》
Introduction
The poem was published in the third edition of The Leaves of Grass in 1860. At that time, the rapid development of American economy inspired Whiteman. Therefore, he created an American image even loved by modern Americans.
• Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else, • 每人歌唱属于他或她而不是属于任何别人的一切， • The day what belongs to the day--at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
• The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work, • 泥瓦匠在歌唱着，当他准备工作或停止工作的时 候， • The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck, • 船家歌唱着他船里所有的一切，水手在汽艇的甲 板上歌唱着， • The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands, • 鞋匠坐在他的工作凳上歌唱，帽匠歌唱着，站在 那里工作，
• 白昼歌唱白昼所有的，晚间，强壮而友爱的青年 们的集会， • Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs. • 张嘴唱着他们的强健而和谐的歌。
Style
• Language: simple words, simple sentences with repeated and parallel structures • The first person narration : Whiteman’s poetry is distinctively noted for the use of the first person narrator ”I” • The use of free verse : free verse-poetry without fixed or regular rhyme
• The wood-cutter's song, the ploughboy's on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown, • 伐木者、犁田青年们歌唱着，当他们每天 早晨走在路上，或者午问歇 息，或到了日 落的时候， • The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing, • 我更听到母亲的美妙的歌，ቤተ መጻሕፍቲ ባይዱ在操作的年 轻的妻子们的歌或缝衣或洗衣的女孩子们 的歌