Arna Bontemps - A Black Man Talks of Reaping 汉译

I have sown beside all waters in my day.

I planted deep, within my heart the fear

That wind or fowl would take the grain away.

I planted safe against this stark, lean year.

I scattered seed enough to plant the land

In rows from Canada to Mexico

But for my reaping only what the hand

Can hold at once is all that I can show.

Yet what I sowed and what the orchard yields

My brother’s sons are gathering stalk and root,

Small wonder then my children glean in fields

They have not sown, and feed on bitter fruit.

黑人谈收获

安娜·邦当

年轻时我曾在一切岸边播种子。

我种得很深，因为我心中在担忧，

怕种子被风儿吹走或被鸟啄食。

我种得很稳，为了防这荒年歉收。

我撒的种子足以在北起加拿大、

南到墨西哥的土地上进行条播，

但说到收成，只有我的手能一把

握住的，才是可出示的全部收获。

然而我种的庄稼和果园的出产，

我兄弟的儿子们连梗带根收去；

我的孩子在他们没播种的田间

拾落穗，靠烂果充饥就不足为奇。