ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Stephen Burt - Poetry critic
In his influential poetry criticism, Stephen Burt links the contemporary with the classical, pinpoints new poetry movements, and promotes outstanding little-known poets.

Why you should listen
Stephen Burt is a serious fan of science fiction, indie music and women’s basketball, but what he’s known for is his highly influential poetry criticism. That list of passions, though, hints at Burt’s mission as a critic: he aims not only to describe new movements in the form, but also to champion under-the-radar writers whose work he admires.
 
Burt, a professor of English at Harvard, is passionate about both the classics and the contemporary, and his poetry criticism bridges those two worlds. He is also a poet in his own right, with two full-length books under his belt, and a cross-dresser who mines his feminine persona in his own writing. “I am a literary critic and a writer of verse, a parent and husband and friend, before and after I am a guy in a skirt, or a guy in blue jeans, or a fictional girl,” he has written. His books include The Art of the Sonnet (with David Mikics); Close Calls With Nonsense: Reading New Poetry; and Parallel Play: Poems.
More profile about the speaker
Stephen Burt | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal 2013

Stephen Burt: Why people need poetry

史蒂芬・伯特: 為何人們需要詩

Filmed:
1,326,640 views

"我們終將死去 -- 但詩,能幫助我們與這念頭和平共生"。一場既迷人又有魅力的演講,文學評論家史蒂芬・伯特以幾首他最喜歡的詩文,引領我們前往一趟情感豐富的旅程,從字裡行間開始徹底探討,一路帶我們回到人類愛好想像的真性情。
- Poetry critic
In his influential poetry criticism, Stephen Burt links the contemporary with the classical, pinpoints new poetry movements, and promotes outstanding little-known poets. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:13
I read poetry詩歌 all the time
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我時常閱讀詩,
00:15
and write about it frequently經常
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也常撰寫詩評
00:17
and take poems apart距離
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有時我會抽絲剝繭,
00:18
to see how they work
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以觀察詩詞如何產生涵義
00:20
because I'm a word person.
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因為我對文字特別敏銳,
00:21
I understand理解 the world世界 best最好, most fully充分,
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比起圖片或數字,
我反而最能透過文字,深刻的理解這個世界
00:24
in words rather than, say, pictures圖片 or numbers數字,
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00:27
and when I have a new experience經驗 or a new feeling感覺,
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且當我有了新的體驗或感受,
00:30
I'm a little frustrated受挫
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我常會先感到有點沮喪,
00:31
until直到 I can try to put it into words.
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直到我能嘗試將它們化為文字為止。
00:34
I think I've always been that way.
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我想我一直都是這樣
00:36
I devoured吞噬 science科學 fiction小說 as a child兒童. I still do.
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小時侯,我總是貪婪的
閱讀科幻小說,現在依舊如此
00:39
And I found發現 poems by Andrew安德魯 MarvellMarvell公司
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而我會在裡面發現一些詩,
像是安德魯・馬維爾、
00:42
and Matthew馬修 Arnold阿諾德 and Emily艾米莉 Dickinson迪金森
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馬修・阿諾、艾蜜莉・狄金森、
00:43
and William威廉 Butler男管家 Yeats葉芝
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以及葉慈的詩作,
00:45
because they were quoted in science科學 fiction小說,
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因為這些科幻小說引用了他們的詩
00:47
and I loved喜愛 their sounds聲音
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我超愛這些詩的音韻,
00:48
and I went on to read about ottavaottava rima莉瑪
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於是我開始研究何謂八行詩體、
00:51
and medial內側 caesurascaesuras and enjambmentenjambment
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韻腳停頓、詩句的跨行銜接
00:54
and all that other technical技術 stuff東東
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以及其他種種技法,
00:56
that you care關心 about if you already已經 care關心 about poems,
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也就是那些如果你已經很愛好詩,
就會去在乎的東西,
01:00
because poems already已經 made製作 me happier幸福
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因為詩已經讓我更快樂
01:04
and sadder令人悲哀 and more alive.
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也更悲傷,同時更有生命力
01:06
And I became成為 a poetry詩歌 critic評論家
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後來我成為一個詩評家,
01:08
because I wanted to know how and why.
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因為我想知道詩如何產生
及詩詞背後的起因。
01:12
Now, poetry詩歌 isn't one thing that serves供應 one purpose目的
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詩並不是為了單一目的而存在的產物,
01:17
any more than music音樂 or computer電腦 programming程序設計
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它不像音樂和電腦程式,
01:20
serve服務 one purpose目的.
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只為單一目的而存在。
01:22
The greek希臘語 word poem, it just means手段 "a made製作 thing,"
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"詩"的希臘文,僅代表"一個成品",
01:26
and poetry詩歌 is a set of techniques技術,
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而詩是一套技法、
01:28
ways方法 of making製造 patterns模式
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一種架構組織的方法,
01:30
that put emotions情緒 into words.
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它能夠將情緒轉為文字。
01:32
The more techniques技術 you know,
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你懂愈多技巧,
01:34
the more things you can make,
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就能創造出愈多東西,
01:37
and the more patterns模式 you can recognize認識
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且對於某些你已喜歡或深愛的事物,
01:40
in things you might威力 already已經 like or love.
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詩能讓你理會出其中更多奧妙。
01:44
That said, poetry詩歌 does seem似乎 to be
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這樣說來,
詩似乎在某些方面顯得特別有用。
01:47
especially特別 good at certain某些 things.
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01:50
For example, we are all going to die.
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例如說,我們終將不免一死。
01:56
Poetry詩歌 can help us live生活 with that.
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但詩,能幫助我們與這念頭和平共生。
01:59
Poems are made製作 of words, nothing but words.
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詩是由文字組成,就只是字而已。
02:02
The particulars細節 in poems are like
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但詩的不同特質,
02:04
the particularities特殊性, the personalities個性,
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就像是人們之間互異的個性,
02:06
that distinguish區分 people from one another另一個.
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區別著彼此的不同。
02:09
Poems are easy簡單 to share分享, easy簡單 to pass通過 on,
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詩文容易被分享、被傳承,
02:12
and when you read a poem, you can imagine想像
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而當你讀一篇詩,
02:13
someone's誰家 speaking請講 to you or for you,
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你能夠想像有人正在
傳達訊息給你、為你發聲
02:17
maybe even someone有人 far away
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甚至是為一個與你相隔遙遠的人、
02:19
or someone有人 made製作 up or someone有人 deceased死者.
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或為一個虛構的人、已故的人發聲。
02:24
That's why we can go to poems when we want to
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這就是為什麼
每當我們想銘記某人某事、
02:28
remember記得 something or someone有人,
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02:31
to celebrate慶祝 or to look beyond death死亡
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想慶祝、想超脫生死、
02:34
or to say goodbye再見,
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或是道別時,都會藉由詩來抒發情感。
02:36
and that's one reason原因 poems can seem似乎 important重要,
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這也是為什麼從古至今,詩文總是佔有一席之地
02:40
even to people who aren't me,
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就算一般人跟我不太一樣
02:42
who don't so much live生活 in a world世界 of words.
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他們沒有沉迷於文字的世界裡,
詩也一樣受歡迎。
02:46
The poet詩人 Frank坦率 O'Hara奧哈拉 said,
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詩人法蘭克・奧哈拉說,
02:48
"If you don't need poetry詩歌, bully欺負 for you,"
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"如果你不需要詩,那算你行!"
02:52
but he also said when he didn't
want to be alive anymore,
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但他也曾說,當他失去了活下去的動力時,
02:55
the thought that he wouldn't不會 write any more poems
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他如果想到"這樣就無法再創作任何詩了",
02:58
had stopped停止 him.
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這念頭就會阻止他去尋短。
03:00
Poetry詩歌 helps幫助 me want to be alive,
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詩,是讓我生存的動力,
03:02
and I want to show顯示 you why by showing展示 you how,
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我要藉由展示來告訴你們為什麼,
03:05
how a couple一對 of poems react應對 to the fact事實 that
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為何有些詩可以反映出:
03:08
we're alive in one place地點 at one time in one culture文化,
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我們只存活於一個地方、
一個時空、一個文化,
03:11
and in another另一個 we won't慣於 be alive at all.
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而超越了那個時空,
我們根本稱不上活著。
03:16
So here's這裡的 one of the first poems I memorized記憶.
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下面這是我最早背起的詩之一,
03:20
It could address地址 a child兒童 or an adult成人.
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講述的對象可以是小孩或大人:
03:25
"From far, from eve前夕 and morning早上
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"從遠方,從日暮,從晨曉,
03:28
From yon twelve-winded十二嗦 sky天空,
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從那有著十二個方位的天空,
03:31
The stuff東東 of life to knit針織 me
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織造出我的那些生命本質
03:33
Blew自爆 hither恣情; here am I.
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隨風輕吹至此,我於是存在。
03:35
Now — for a breath呼吸 I tarry耽擱
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此刻--我停留鼻息,
03:37
Nor也不 yet然而 disperse分散 apart距離
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仍未散逸之前--
03:40
Take my hand quick and tell me,
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快握住我的手並告訴我,
03:42
What have you in your heart.
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是什麼盤據在你心中。
03:44
Speak說話 now, and I will answer回答;
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說吧,我會回答你,
03:46
How shall I help you, say;
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我該如何幫助你,儘管說吧,
03:49
EreERE to the wind's風的 twelve十二 quarters住處
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否則我就快回到
風起前的的四面八方,
03:51
I take my endless無窮 way."
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踏上無限的旅途。"
03:54
[A. E. Housman豪斯曼]
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(作者為A. E.豪斯曼)
03:56
Now, this poem has appealed上訴
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這首詩迷住了
03:58
to science科學 fiction小說 writers作家.
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許多科幻小說家。
03:59
It's furnished裝修 at least最小 three science科學 fiction小說 titles標題,
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這首詩被用於至少
三部科幻小說的標題裡,
04:02
I think because it says poems can brings帶來 us news新聞
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我想是因為這首詩點出:
詩總是能帶給我們一些信息,
04:05
from the future未來 or the past過去
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無論是從未來或是過去,
04:07
or across橫過 the world世界,
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甚至是從世界各方,
04:10
because their patterns模式 can seem似乎 to tell you
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因為它的文體似乎能告訴你,
04:12
what's in somebody's某人的 heart.
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某人心中想些什麼。
04:14
It says poems can bring帶來 people together一起 temporarily暫時,
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詩能短暫的將人們凝聚在一起,
04:17
which哪一個 I think is true真正,
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我想確實如此。
04:19
and it sticks in my head not just because it rhymes童謠
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而這首詩會留在我腦海,不只是因為它押韻,
04:23
but for how it rhymes童謠,
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而是它押韻的方式,
04:24
cleanly乾淨 and simply只是 on the two and four,
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簡單扼要的在第二行、第四行
04:26
"say" and "way,"
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押"say" 和 "way"
04:28
with anticipatory預料的 hints提示 on the one and three,
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並在一、三行預留線索,
04:31
"answer回答" and "quarters住處,"
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也就是"answer" 和 "quarters"
04:32
as if the poem itself本身 were coming未來 together一起.
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這首詩好像是自己渾然天成的。
04:36
It plays播放 up the fact事實 that we die
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它強調人終將面臨死亡,
04:38
by exaggerating誇大 the speed速度 of our lives生活.
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藉由誇大的方式來呈現人生苦短。
04:40
A few少數 years年份 on Earth地球 become成為
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像是在地球上生存的幾年時間,
04:43
one speech言語, one breath呼吸.
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變成說一句話、吸一口氣般短暫。
04:45
It's a poem about loneliness孤單 --
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這是首關於孤寂的詩--
04:47
the "I" in the poem feels感覺 no connection連接 will last —
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詩中的"我",認為沒有任何連結是永久的,
04:50
and it might威力 look like a plea懇求 for help
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且像是在尋求協助,
04:52
'til胡麻 you get to the word "help,"
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直到你讀到"幫助"這詞,一切才具體化
04:55
where this "I" facing面對 you, taking服用 your hand,
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而這個"我"面對著你,握住你的手,
04:57
is more like a teacher老師 or a genie精靈,
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就像是一位老師或精靈,
04:59
or at least最小 that's what he wants to believe.
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或至少,是作者盼望相信的事。
05:02
It would not be the first time a poet詩人 had
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這已經不是第一次,一位詩人,
05:05
written書面 the poem that he wanted to hear.
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寫出一首自己想聽到的詩。
05:10
Now, this next下一個 poem really changed
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下一首詩,則完全改變了
05:13
what I liked喜歡 and what I read
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我喜歡的東西、閱讀的品味、
05:15
and what I felt I could read as an adult成人.
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以及身為成人,我以為自己理解的事。
05:17
It might威力 not make any sense to you
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如果你以前沒讀過這首詩,
05:19
if you haven't沒有 seen看到 it before.
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有可能無法體會:
05:22
"The Garden花園"
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【花園】
05:25
"Oleander夾竹桃: coral珊瑚
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"夾竹桃:珊瑚紅,
05:27
from lipstick口紅 ads廣告 in the 50's.
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來自50年代的口紅廣告。
05:30
Fruit水果 of the tree of such這樣 knowledge知識
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知識樹上的果實,教導了我們何等知識。
05:33
To smack拍擊
(thin air空氣)
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Smack ,動詞,
05:35
meaning含義 kiss or hit擊中.
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意思為親吻或擊打(空氣)。
05:37
It appears出現
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這個字,
05:38
in the guise偽裝 of outworn陳腐 usages用法
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在老套字義的偽裝下呼之欲出,
05:40
because we are bad?
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是因為我們心懷不軌嗎?
05:43
Big masculine男性 threat威脅,
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濃烈的陽剛氣息朝人逼近,
05:44
insinuating隱語 and slangyslangy."
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充滿暗示、吊兒郎當。"
05:47
[Rae李博 ArmantroutArmantrout]
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(作者為蕾・阿曼特饒特)
05:49
Now, I found發現 this poem in an anthology選集
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我從名詩選集中發現這首詩,
05:52
of almost幾乎 equally一樣 confusing撲朔迷離 poems in 1989.
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在1989年,整本詩集都是
這種非常困惑的詩文。
05:55
I just heard聽說 that there were these scandalous誹謗性的 writers作家
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我正好聽到有些惡名昭彰的作家,
05:57
called Language語言 poets詩人 who didn't make any sense,
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他們被稱為"語言詩人",
專寫一些沒有意義的東西,
05:59
and I wanted to go and see
for myself what they were like,
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於是我想看看他們到底是寫些什麼。
06:02
and some of them didn't do much for me,
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而我對那些詩卻沒有太多共鳴
06:03
but this writer作家, Rae李博 ArmantroutArmantrout,
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但其中有位作家,蕾・阿曼特饒特,
06:05
did an awful可怕 lot, and I kept不停 reading her
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她的詩讓我收穫良多,
我一直閱讀她的作品,
06:08
until直到 I felt I knew知道 what was going on,
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直到逐漸明白她的深意,
06:11
as I do with this poem.
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就如同我反覆的閱讀這首詩,
06:12
It's about the Garden花園 of Eden伊甸園 and the Fall秋季
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它是關於伊甸園和人的墮落,
06:15
and the Biblical聖經 story故事 of the Fall秋季,
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以及聖經中提到墮落的故事:
06:19
in which哪一個 sex性別 as we know it
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也就是在性、
06:21
and death死亡 and guilt有罪
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死亡、罪惡,
06:22
come into the world世界 at the same相同 time.
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這些同時降臨在這世界的時候。
06:24
It's also about how appearances出場 deceive欺騙,
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這首詩同時也述說著
外表如何蒙蔽事物,
06:26
how our culture文化 can sweep us along沿
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如何以我們的文化
06:29
into doing and saying things we didn't intend打算
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迫使我們做出或說出
那原本不打算做的事,
06:31
or don't like, and Armantrout'sArmantrout的 style樣式
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或不喜歡的事物,而這就是
阿曼特饒特的作風,
06:34
is trying to help us stop or slow down.
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試圖幫我們沉澱下來。
06:37
"Smack拍擊" can mean "kiss" as in air空氣 kisses,
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Smack,可以代表親吻,像是飛吻那種,
06:41
as in lip-smacking咂嘴,
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也代表咂嘴唇,
06:42
but that can lead to "smack拍擊" as in "hit擊中"
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但Smack也可表示擊打的意思,
06:45
as in domestic國內 abuse濫用,
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就像家暴會出現的那種,
06:47
because sexual有性 attraction引力 can seem似乎 threatening危險的.
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因為性誘惑有時看來充滿威脅。
06:51
The red that means手段 fertility生育能力
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珊瑚紅代表生育力,
06:53
can also mean poison.
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也可代表劇毒,
06:55
Oleander夾竹桃 is poisonous有毒.
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因為夾竹桃是有毒的。
06:56
And outworn陳腐 usages用法 like "smack拍擊" for "kiss"
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詩裡提到的老套字義,
像是smack解釋為「親吻」
06:59
or "hit擊中" can help us see
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或「擊打」,可以幫助我們看透,
07:02
how our unacknowledged未確認 assumptions假設
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這些毫無根據的臆測,
07:04
can make us believe we are bad,
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如何讓我們相信自己是錯的,
07:06
either because sex性別 is sinful有罪
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無論是因為充滿罪惡的性慾,
07:08
or because we tolerate容忍 so much sexism性別歧視.
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或是因為我們承受了太多性別歧視,
07:11
We let guys tell women婦女 what to do.
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總是讓男人唆使女人。
07:14
The poem reacts發生反應 to old lipstick口紅 ads廣告,
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詩文中反應出這老舊的口紅廣告、
07:17
and its edginess急躁 about statement聲明,
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急促的陳述方式、
07:19
its reversals逆轉 and halts暫停, have everything to do
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轉折、停頓,在在都充滿了
07:21
with resisting抵制 the language語言 of ads廣告
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對廣告語言的反叛 --
07:24
that want to tell us so easily容易 what to want,
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廣告太直白的訴說我們的欲望,
07:27
what to do, what to think.
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告訴我們該做什麼、該怎麼想。
07:28
That resistance抵抗性 is a lot of the point of the poem,
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這種反叛與詩的本意相對應,
07:31
which哪一個 shows節目 me, ArmantroutArmantrout shows節目 me
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這首詩,或說阿曼特饒特讓我明白,
07:33
what it's like to hear grave threats威脅
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被言語威脅是怎樣的感覺,
07:35
and mortal凡人 dishonesty不誠實 in the language語言
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而看穿那些日常生活中的不實的語言,
07:37
of everyday每天 life, and once一旦 she's doneDONE that,
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又是怎麼樣的感覺。而一旦她做到這點,
07:40
I think she can show顯示 other people, women婦女 and men男人,
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我認為她就能傳達給大家,不論男人女人,
07:44
what it's like to feel that way
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傳遞詩中的意涵,
07:46
and say to other people, women婦女 and men男人
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然後告訴所有人,無論男人女人,
07:49
who feel so alienated疏遠 or so threatened受威脅
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在他們感到孤單或受到威脅時,
07:52
that they're not alone單獨.
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他們並不寂寞。
07:54
Now, how do I know that I'm right
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好,那我怎麼知道我的解讀是對的呢?
07:57
about this somewhat有些 confusing撲朔迷離 poem?
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這首詩如此令人困惑。
07:59
Well in this case案件, I emailed電子郵件
the poet詩人 a draft草案 of my talk
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好吧,是因為我把我的講稿
email 給阿曼特勞特,
08:02
and she said, "Yeah, yeah, that's about it."
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她回說: "對,對,大概是這樣沒錯。"
08:05
Yeah. (Laughter笑聲) (Applause掌聲)
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(笑聲) (掌聲)
08:08
But usually平時, you can't know. You never know.
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但通常來說,你根本不曉得,
08:11
You can't be sure, and that's okay.
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你也無法確定,但沒關係,
08:14
All we can do we is listen to poems
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我們所該做的就是聆聽這首詩,
08:16
and look at poems and guess猜測
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仔細品嚐並大膽猜測,
08:17
and see if they can bring帶來 us what we need,
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看看是否帶來些我們所需要的東西,
08:20
and if you're wrong錯誤 about some part部分 of a poem,
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而就算你對一些環節有錯誤的理解,
08:23
nothing bad will happen發生.
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也沒有關係的。
08:27
Now, this next下一個 poem is older舊的 than Armantrout'sArmantrout的,
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好,接下來這首詩比
阿曼特饒特的詩更早問世,
08:29
but a little younger更年輕 than A. E. Housman's豪斯曼的.
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但比A. E.豪斯曼的作品還後期一些,
08:33
"The Brave勇敢 Man"
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"英勇的男人"
08:35
"The sun太陽, that brave勇敢 man,
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太陽,是那英勇的男人,
08:38
Comes through通過 boughs樹枝 that lie謊言 in wait,
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照透那危機四伏的樹枝,
08:40
That brave勇敢 man.
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那英勇的男人啊。
08:43
Green綠色 and gloomy陰沉 eyes眼睛
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一雙雙翠綠而憂鬱的眼睛,
08:44
In dark黑暗 forms形式 of the grass
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在幽暗的草叢裡,
08:46
Run away.
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逃散無蹤。
08:48
The good stars明星,
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眾多的繁星、
08:49
Pale蒼白 helms赫爾姆斯 and spiky高低不平 spurs馬刺,
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蒼白的鋼盔、尖銳的馬刺,
08:52
Run away.
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逃散無蹤。
08:54
Fears恐懼 of my bed,
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面臨入睡的恐懼、
08:55
Fears恐懼 of life and fears恐懼 of death死亡,
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面臨生死的恐懼,
08:57
Run away.
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逃散無蹤。
08:59
That brave勇敢 man comes up
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英勇的男人出現了,
09:01
From below下面 and walks散步 without meditation冥想,
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毫不猶豫的走上來,
09:04
That brave勇敢 man."
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那英勇的男人。
09:06
[Wallace華萊士 Stevens史蒂文斯]
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(作者為華萊士·史蒂文斯)
09:09
Now, the sun太陽 in this poem,
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現在,這首詩提到的太陽,
09:11
in Wallace華萊士 Stevens'史蒂文斯 poem, seems似乎 so grave
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在華萊士·史蒂文斯的詩中,似乎顯得憂沉,
09:14
because the person in the poem is so afraid害怕.
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因為詩中提到的人物感到害怕
09:17
The sun太陽 comes up in the morning早上 through通過 branches分支機構,
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早晨的陽光穿透了樹枝,
09:20
dispels驅散 the dew, the eyes眼睛, on the grass,
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蒸發了青草上的露珠,
也就是一雙雙的眼睛們,
09:23
and defeats連敗 stars明星 envisioned設想 as armies軍隊.
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擊潰了一片像大軍壓境的星辰,
09:26
"Brave勇敢" has its old sense of showy華麗的
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"英勇"一詞,帶有古語中強出風頭的意思,
09:28
as well as its modern現代 sense, courage勇氣.
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同時也有現代的意思:勇氣。
09:30
This sun太陽 is not afraid害怕 to show顯示 his face面對.
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這裡的太陽對拋頭露面感到無所畏懼,
09:34
But the person in the poem is afraid害怕.
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反倒是詩的敘述者感到害怕,
09:37
He might威力 have been up all night.
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他可能整晚都沒睡。
09:38
That is the reveal揭示 Stevens史蒂文斯
saves節省 for that fourth第四 stanza,
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史蒂文斯在這邊為第四詩節留下伏筆,
09:42
where run away has become成為 a refrain副歌.
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第四詩節的"逃散無蹤"變成一種忍耐,
09:45
This person might威力 want to run away too,
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即便這男人也想逃跑,
09:47
but fortified強化 by the sun's太陽 example,
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但為了效仿太陽的英勇,
09:50
he might威力 just rise上升.
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他必須挺身而出。
09:52
Stevens史蒂文斯 saves節省 that sonically音速 odd word "meditation冥想"
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作者史蒂文斯以音韻破格的"冥想"一詞,
09:57
for the end結束.
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來做為結尾。
09:58
Unlike不像 the sun太陽, human人的 beings眾生 think.
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因為人類不像太陽,人類會有所冥想,
10:01
We meditate幽思 on past過去 and future未來, life and death死亡,
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我們常冥想過去與未來、生與死,
10:05
above以上 and below下面.
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上天堂或是下地獄,
10:08
And it can make us afraid害怕.
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這些讓我們感到畏懼,
10:12
Poems, the patterns模式 in poems,
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詩,以及詩的文體型式,
10:14
show顯示 us not just what somebody thought
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不只告訴我們某人想了什麼、
10:16
or what someone有人 did or what happened發生
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做過什麼,或發生過什麼事,
10:17
but what it was like to be a person like that,
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還能告訴我們,如果你是這樣的人,
你會有什麼感受,
10:22
to be so anxious, so lonely孤獨, so inquisitive好奇,
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當你如此焦慮、孤寂、好奇、
10:26
so goofy高飛, so preposterous荒謬, so brave勇敢.
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如此愚蠢、可笑,如此勇敢。
10:32
That's why poems can seem似乎 at once一旦 so durable耐用,
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這就是為什麼詩文總是如此歷久彌新、
10:35
so personal個人, and so ephemeral短暫的,
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同時又如此私密、而且稍縱即逝,
10:37
like something inside and outside you at once一旦.
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私密得像是你內在的一部份,
卻又如外在世界般巨大。
10:41
The Scottish蘇格蘭的 poet詩人 Denise丹尼斯 Riley compares比較 poetry詩歌
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蘇格蘭詩人丹尼斯賴利,曾經把詩
10:44
to a needle, a sliver裂片 of outside I cradle搖籃 inside,
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比喻成一根銀針,銀針的織物
可以讓我放心窩在裡面
10:48
and the American美國 poet詩人 Terrance特倫斯 Hayes海耶斯
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而美國詩人特倫斯海斯,
10:50
wrote six poems called "Wind in a Box."
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寫了六首詩,題為"盒中的風"
10:53
One of them asks, "Tell me,
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其中一首問道: "告訴我,
10:55
what am I going to do when I'm dead?"
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當我死了之後要做什麼?"
10:58
And the answer回答 is that he'll地獄 stay with us
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而答案是他將會伴隨在我們身邊,
11:00
or won't慣於 stay with us inside us as wind,
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或是像風一樣,飄然離我們而去,
11:03
as air空氣, as words.
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像是空氣、像是話語般短暫。
11:06
It is easier更輕鬆 than ever to find poems
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比起過去,現在很容易找到一首詩,
11:09
that might威力 stay inside you, that might威力 stay with you,
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能夠留存心裡且一直伴隨著你,
11:13
from long, long ago, or from right this minute分鐘,
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有些詩是古老的前人寫下、有些是當下的創作、
11:15
from far away or from right close to where you live生活,
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有些來自遙遠的地方,有些則近在咫尺,
11:18
almost幾乎 no matter where you live生活.
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無論你身處何處,都可找尋到。
11:21
Poems can help you say, help
you show顯示 how you're feeling感覺,
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詩文總是能幫助你表達你內心的感受,
11:24
but they can also introduce介紹 you
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不僅如此,還能引領你,
11:27
to feelings情懷, ways方法 of being存在 in the world世界,
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感受另一個世界、
11:29
people, very much unlike不像 you,
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感受人,或許那人性格跟你相差甚遠,
11:32
maybe even people from long, long ago.
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也可能那人早已永留青史。
11:36
Some poems even tell you
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有些詩甚至會直接告訴你:
11:38
that that is what they can do.
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這就是詩的功用。
11:43
That's what John約翰 Keats濟慈 is doing
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約翰・濟慈有一首詩就在寫這個,
11:45
in his most mysterious神秘, perhaps也許, poem.
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大概是他最神秘的一首,
11:50
It's mysterious神秘 because it's probably大概 unfinished未完成,
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這首詩很神秘,可能是因為
濟慈可能並沒有寫完。
11:54
he probably大概 left it unfinished未完成,
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他說不定是故意不寫完的。
11:56
and because it might威力 be meant意味著
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也有可能因為這段,
11:58
for a character字符 in a play,
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是為他劇中的角色寫的台詞。
12:00
but it might威力 just be Keats'濟慈 thinking思維
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不過這首詩也有可能只是濟慈的想法,
12:02
about what his own擁有 writing寫作,
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在想他的作品能做什麼,
12:04
his handwriting手寫, could do,
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他親筆寫下的文字到底有什麼用。
12:06
and in it I hear, at least最小 I hear, mortality死亡,
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而在詩裡我體會到,起碼我體會到:死亡。
12:10
and I hear the power功率 of older舊的 poetic詩意 techniques技術,
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我體會到了古老詩歌的技法,
12:13
and I have the feeling感覺, you might威力 have the feeling感覺,
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且我有種感覺,我覺得你可能也會覺得,
12:16
of meeting會議 even for an instant瞬間, almost幾乎 becoming變得,
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覺得好像有那麼一瞬間,你好像變成了
12:19
someone有人 else其他 from long ago,
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好久以前的另一個人,
12:20
someone有人 quite相當 memorable難忘.
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他是一個難以忘懷的人:
12:23
"This living活的 hand, now warm and capable
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「這隻活生生的手,現在是溫暖的,充滿生氣,
12:26
Of earnest認真 grasping, would, if it were cold
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能夠熱誠的緊握事物。但若它是陰涼的,
12:30
And in the icy冷冰冰 silence安靜 of the tomb,
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且從冰冷寂靜的墳墓裡伸向你,
12:32
So haunt出沒 thy你的 days and chill寒意 thy你的 dreaming做夢 nights
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讓你日日夜夜深受驚擾,
12:36
That thou would wish希望 thine own擁有 heart dry of blood血液
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你會希望自己心臟血液乾涸,
12:40
So in my veins red life might威力 stream again,
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好讓你的紅色生命
可以重新盈滿我的血管,
12:43
And thou be conscience-calm良心平靜’d -- see here it is --
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你才會安下良心並冷靜下來
-- 你看,就是我這隻手 --
12:48
I hold保持 it towards you."
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我現在將它伸向你。」
12:53
Thanks謝謝.
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謝謝。
12:55
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
Translated by Joyce (Mori) Chen
Reviewed by Yamei Huang

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Stephen Burt - Poetry critic
In his influential poetry criticism, Stephen Burt links the contemporary with the classical, pinpoints new poetry movements, and promotes outstanding little-known poets.

Why you should listen
Stephen Burt is a serious fan of science fiction, indie music and women’s basketball, but what he’s known for is his highly influential poetry criticism. That list of passions, though, hints at Burt’s mission as a critic: he aims not only to describe new movements in the form, but also to champion under-the-radar writers whose work he admires.
 
Burt, a professor of English at Harvard, is passionate about both the classics and the contemporary, and his poetry criticism bridges those two worlds. He is also a poet in his own right, with two full-length books under his belt, and a cross-dresser who mines his feminine persona in his own writing. “I am a literary critic and a writer of verse, a parent and husband and friend, before and after I am a guy in a skirt, or a guy in blue jeans, or a fictional girl,” he has written. His books include The Art of the Sonnet (with David Mikics); Close Calls With Nonsense: Reading New Poetry; and Parallel Play: Poems.
More profile about the speaker
Stephen Burt | Speaker | TED.com