Stephen Burt: Why people need poetry

譯者: Joyce Chen 審譯者: Yamei Huang

I read poetry all the time

我時常閱讀詩，

and write about it frequently

也常撰寫詩評

and take poems apart

有時我會抽絲剝繭，

to see how they work

以觀察詩詞如何產生涵義

because I'm a word person.

因為我對文字特別敏銳，

I understand the world best, most fully,

比起圖片或數字，

in words rather than, say, pictures or numbers,

我反而最能透過文字，深刻的理解這個世界

and when I have a new experience or a new feeling,

且當我有了新的體驗或感受，

I'm a little frustrated

我常會先感到有點沮喪，

until I can try to put it into words.

直到我能嘗試將它們化為文字為止。

I think I've always been that way.

我想我一直都是這樣

I devoured science fiction as a child. I still do.

小時侯，我總是貪婪的 閱讀科幻小說，現在依舊如此

And I found poems by Andrew Marvell

而我會在裡面發現一些詩， 像是安德魯・馬維爾、

and Matthew Arnold and Emily Dickinson

馬修・阿諾、艾蜜莉・狄金森、

and William Butler Yeats

以及葉慈的詩作，

because they were quoted in science fiction,

因為這些科幻小說引用了他們的詩

and I loved their sounds

我超愛這些詩的音韻，

and I went on to read about ottava rima

於是我開始研究何謂八行詩體、

and medial caesuras and enjambment

韻腳停頓、詩句的跨行銜接

and all that other technical stuff

以及其他種種技法，

that you care about if you already care about poems,

也就是那些如果你已經很愛好詩， 就會去在乎的東西，

because poems already made me happier

因為詩已經讓我更快樂

and sadder and more alive.

也更悲傷，同時更有生命力

And I became a poetry critic

後來我成為一個詩評家，

because I wanted to know how and why.

因為我想知道詩如何產生 及詩詞背後的起因。

Now, poetry isn't one thing that serves one purpose

詩並不是為了單一目的而存在的產物，

any more than music or computer programming

它不像音樂和電腦程式，

serve one purpose.

只為單一目的而存在。

The greek word poem, it just means "a made thing,"

"詩"的希臘文，僅代表"一個成品"，

and poetry is a set of techniques,

而詩是一套技法、

ways of making patterns

一種架構組織的方法，

that put emotions into words.

它能夠將情緒轉為文字。

The more techniques you know,

你懂愈多技巧，

the more things you can make,

就能創造出愈多東西，

and the more patterns you can recognize

且對於某些你已喜歡或深愛的事物，

in things you might already like or love.

詩能讓你理會出其中更多奧妙。

That said, poetry does seem to be

這樣說來，

詩似乎在某些方面顯得特別有用。

especially good at certain things.

For example, we are all going to die.

例如說，我們終將不免一死。

Poetry can help us live with that.

但詩，能幫助我們與這念頭和平共生。

Poems are made of words, nothing but words.

詩是由文字組成，就只是字而已。

The particulars in poems are like

但詩的不同特質，

the particularities, the personalities,

就像是人們之間互異的個性，

that distinguish people from one another.

區別著彼此的不同。

Poems are easy to share, easy to pass on,

詩文容易被分享、被傳承，

and when you read a poem, you can imagine

而當你讀一篇詩，

someone's speaking to you or for you,

你能夠想像有人正在 傳達訊息給你、為你發聲

maybe even someone far away

甚至是為一個與你相隔遙遠的人、

or someone made up or someone deceased.

或為一個虛構的人、已故的人發聲。

That's why we can go to poems when we want to

這就是為什麼

每當我們想銘記某人某事、

remember something or someone,

to celebrate or to look beyond death

想慶祝、想超脫生死、

or to say goodbye,

或是道別時，都會藉由詩來抒發情感。

and that's one reason poems can seem important,

這也是為什麼從古至今，詩文總是佔有一席之地

even to people who aren't me,

就算一般人跟我不太一樣

who don't so much live in a world of words.

他們沒有沉迷於文字的世界裡， 詩也一樣受歡迎。

The poet Frank O'Hara said,

詩人法蘭克・奧哈拉說，

"If you don't need poetry, bully for you,"

"如果你不需要詩，那算你行!"

but he also said when he didn't want to be alive anymore,

但他也曾說，當他失去了活下去的動力時，

the thought that he wouldn't write any more poems

他如果想到"這樣就無法再創作任何詩了"，

had stopped him.

這念頭就會阻止他去尋短。

Poetry helps me want to be alive,

詩，是讓我生存的動力，

and I want to show you why by showing you how,

我要藉由展示來告訴你們為什麼，

how a couple of poems react to the fact that

為何有些詩可以反映出：

we're alive in one place at one time in one culture,

我們只存活於一個地方、 一個時空、一個文化，

and in another we won't be alive at all.

而超越了那個時空， 我們根本稱不上活著。

So here's one of the first poems I memorized.

下面這是我最早背起的詩之一，

It could address a child or an adult.

講述的對象可以是小孩或大人：

"From far, from eve and morning

"從遠方，從日暮，從晨曉，

From yon twelve-winded sky,

從那有著十二個方位的天空，

The stuff of life to knit me

織造出我的那些生命本質

Blew hither; here am I.

隨風輕吹至此，我於是存在。

Now — for a breath I tarry

此刻--我停留鼻息，

Nor yet disperse apart —

仍未散逸之前--

Take my hand quick and tell me,

快握住我的手並告訴我，

What have you in your heart.

是什麼盤據在你心中。

Speak now, and I will answer;

說吧，我會回答你，

How shall I help you, say;

我該如何幫助你，儘管說吧，

Ere to the wind's twelve quarters

否則我就快回到 風起前的的四面八方，

I take my endless way."

踏上無限的旅途。"

[A. E. Housman]

(作者為A. E.豪斯曼)

Now, this poem has appealed

這首詩迷住了

to science fiction writers.

許多科幻小說家。

It's furnished at least three science fiction titles,

這首詩被用於至少 三部科幻小說的標題裡，

I think because it says poems can brings us news

我想是因為這首詩點出： 詩總是能帶給我們一些信息，

from the future or the past

無論是從未來或是過去，

or across the world,

甚至是從世界各方，

because their patterns can seem to tell you

因為它的文體似乎能告訴你，

what's in somebody's heart.

某人心中想些什麼。

It says poems can bring people together temporarily,

詩能短暫的將人們凝聚在一起，

which I think is true,

我想確實如此。

and it sticks in my head not just because it rhymes

而這首詩會留在我腦海，不只是因為它押韻，

but for how it rhymes,

而是它押韻的方式，

cleanly and simply on the two and four,

簡單扼要的在第二行、第四行

"say" and "way,"

押"say" 和 "way"

with anticipatory hints on the one and three,

並在一、三行預留線索，

"answer" and "quarters,"

也就是"answer" 和 "quarters"

as if the poem itself were coming together.

這首詩好像是自己渾然天成的。

It plays up the fact that we die

它強調人終將面臨死亡，

by exaggerating the speed of our lives.

藉由誇大的方式來呈現人生苦短。

A few years on Earth become

像是在地球上生存的幾年時間，

one speech, one breath.

變成說一句話、吸一口氣般短暫。

It's a poem about loneliness --

這是首關於孤寂的詩--

the "I" in the poem feels no connection will last —

詩中的"我"，認為沒有任何連結是永久的，

and it might look like a plea for help

且像是在尋求協助，

'til you get to the word "help,"

直到你讀到"幫助"這詞，一切才具體化

where this "I" facing you, taking your hand,

而這個"我"面對著你，握住你的手，

is more like a teacher or a genie,

就像是一位老師或精靈，

or at least that's what he wants to believe.

或至少，是作者盼望相信的事。

It would not be the first time a poet had

這已經不是第一次，一位詩人，

written the poem that he wanted to hear.

寫出一首自己想聽到的詩。

Now, this next poem really changed

下一首詩，則完全改變了

what I liked and what I read

我喜歡的東西、閱讀的品味、

and what I felt I could read as an adult.

以及身為成人，我以為自己理解的事。

It might not make any sense to you

如果你以前沒讀過這首詩，

if you haven't seen it before.

有可能無法體會：

"The Garden"

【花園】

"Oleander: coral

"夾竹桃：珊瑚紅，

from lipstick ads in the 50's.

來自50年代的口紅廣告。

Fruit of the tree of such knowledge

知識樹上的果實，教導了我們何等知識。

To smack (thin air)

Smack ，動詞，

meaning kiss or hit.

意思為親吻或擊打(空氣)。

It appears

這個字，

in the guise of outworn usages

在老套字義的偽裝下呼之欲出，

because we are bad?

是因為我們心懷不軌嗎?

Big masculine threat,

濃烈的陽剛氣息朝人逼近，

insinuating and slangy."

充滿暗示、吊兒郎當。"

[Rae Armantrout]

(作者為蕾・阿曼特饒特)

Now, I found this poem in an anthology

我從名詩選集中發現這首詩，

of almost equally confusing poems in 1989.

在1989年，整本詩集都是 這種非常困惑的詩文。

I just heard that there were these scandalous writers

我正好聽到有些惡名昭彰的作家，

called Language poets who didn't make any sense,

他們被稱為"語言詩人"， 專寫一些沒有意義的東西，

and I wanted to go and see for myself what they were like,

於是我想看看他們到底是寫些什麼。

and some of them didn't do much for me,

而我對那些詩卻沒有太多共鳴

but this writer, Rae Armantrout,

但其中有位作家，蕾・阿曼特饒特，

did an awful lot, and I kept reading her

她的詩讓我收穫良多， 我一直閱讀她的作品，

until I felt I knew what was going on,

直到逐漸明白她的深意，

as I do with this poem.

就如同我反覆的閱讀這首詩，

It's about the Garden of Eden and the Fall

它是關於伊甸園和人的墮落，

and the Biblical story of the Fall,

以及聖經中提到墮落的故事：

in which sex as we know it

也就是在性、

and death and guilt

死亡、罪惡，

come into the world at the same time.

這些同時降臨在這世界的時候。

It's also about how appearances deceive,

這首詩同時也述說著 外表如何蒙蔽事物，

how our culture can sweep us along

如何以我們的文化

into doing and saying things we didn't intend

迫使我們做出或說出 那原本不打算做的事，

or don't like, and Armantrout's style

或不喜歡的事物，而這就是 阿曼特饒特的作風，

is trying to help us stop or slow down.

試圖幫我們沉澱下來。

"Smack" can mean "kiss" as in air kisses,

Smack，可以代表親吻，像是飛吻那種，

as in lip-smacking,

也代表咂嘴唇，

but that can lead to "smack" as in "hit"

但Smack也可表示擊打的意思，

as in domestic abuse,

就像家暴會出現的那種，

because sexual attraction can seem threatening.

因為性誘惑有時看來充滿威脅。

The red that means fertility

珊瑚紅代表生育力，

can also mean poison.

也可代表劇毒，

Oleander is poisonous.

因為夾竹桃是有毒的。

And outworn usages like "smack" for "kiss"

詩裡提到的老套字義， 像是smack解釋為「親吻」

or "hit" can help us see

或「擊打」，可以幫助我們看透，

how our unacknowledged assumptions

這些毫無根據的臆測，

can make us believe we are bad,

如何讓我們相信自己是錯的，

either because sex is sinful

無論是因為充滿罪惡的性慾，

or because we tolerate so much sexism.

或是因為我們承受了太多性別歧視，

We let guys tell women what to do.

總是讓男人唆使女人。

The poem reacts to old lipstick ads,

詩文中反應出這老舊的口紅廣告、

and its edginess about statement,

急促的陳述方式、

its reversals and halts, have everything to do

轉折、停頓，在在都充滿了

with resisting the language of ads

對廣告語言的反叛 --

that want to tell us so easily what to want,

廣告太直白的訴說我們的欲望，

what to do, what to think.

告訴我們該做什麼、該怎麼想。

That resistance is a lot of the point of the poem,

這種反叛與詩的本意相對應，

which shows me, Armantrout shows me

這首詩，或說阿曼特饒特讓我明白，

what it's like to hear grave threats

被言語威脅是怎樣的感覺，

and mortal dishonesty in the language

而看穿那些日常生活中的不實的語言，

of everyday life, and once she's done that,

又是怎麼樣的感覺。而一旦她做到這點，

I think she can show other people, women and men,

我認為她就能傳達給大家，不論男人女人，

what it's like to feel that way

傳遞詩中的意涵，

and say to other people, women and men

然後告訴所有人，無論男人女人，

who feel so alienated or so threatened

在他們感到孤單或受到威脅時，

that they're not alone.

他們並不寂寞。

Now, how do I know that I'm right

好，那我怎麼知道我的解讀是對的呢？

about this somewhat confusing poem?

這首詩如此令人困惑。

Well in this case, I emailed the poet a draft of my talk

好吧，是因為我把我的講稿 email 給阿曼特勞特，

and she said, "Yeah, yeah, that's about it."

她回說: "對，對，大概是這樣沒錯。"

Yeah. (Laughter) (Applause)

(笑聲) (掌聲)

But usually, you can't know. You never know.

但通常來說，你根本不曉得，

You can't be sure, and that's okay.

你也無法確定，但沒關係，

All we can do we is listen to poems

我們所該做的就是聆聽這首詩，

and look at poems and guess

仔細品嚐並大膽猜測，

and see if they can bring us what we need,

看看是否帶來些我們所需要的東西，

and if you're wrong about some part of a poem,

而就算你對一些環節有錯誤的理解，

nothing bad will happen.

也沒有關係的。

Now, this next poem is older than Armantrout's,

好，接下來這首詩比 阿曼特饒特的詩更早問世，

but a little younger than A. E. Housman's.

但比A. E.豪斯曼的作品還後期一些，

"The Brave Man"

"英勇的男人"

"The sun, that brave man,

太陽，是那英勇的男人，

Comes through boughs that lie in wait,

照透那危機四伏的樹枝，

That brave man.

那英勇的男人啊。

Green and gloomy eyes

一雙雙翠綠而憂鬱的眼睛，

In dark forms of the grass

在幽暗的草叢裡，

Run away.

逃散無蹤。

The good stars,

眾多的繁星、

Pale helms and spiky spurs,

蒼白的鋼盔、尖銳的馬刺，

Run away.

逃散無蹤。

Fears of my bed,

面臨入睡的恐懼、

Fears of life and fears of death,

面臨生死的恐懼，

Run away.

逃散無蹤。

That brave man comes up

英勇的男人出現了，

From below and walks without meditation,

毫不猶豫的走上來，

That brave man."

那英勇的男人。

[Wallace Stevens]

(作者為華萊士·史蒂文斯)

Now, the sun in this poem,

現在，這首詩提到的太陽，

in Wallace Stevens' poem, seems so grave

在華萊士·史蒂文斯的詩中，似乎顯得憂沉，

because the person in the poem is so afraid.

因為詩中提到的人物感到害怕

The sun comes up in the morning through branches,

早晨的陽光穿透了樹枝，

dispels the dew, the eyes, on the grass,

蒸發了青草上的露珠， 也就是一雙雙的眼睛們，

and defeats stars envisioned as armies.

擊潰了一片像大軍壓境的星辰，

"Brave" has its old sense of showy

"英勇"一詞，帶有古語中強出風頭的意思，

as well as its modern sense, courage.

同時也有現代的意思：勇氣。

This sun is not afraid to show his face.

這裡的太陽對拋頭露面感到無所畏懼，

But the person in the poem is afraid.

反倒是詩的敘述者感到害怕，

He might have been up all night.

他可能整晚都沒睡。

That is the reveal Stevens saves for that fourth stanza,

史蒂文斯在這邊為第四詩節留下伏筆，

where run away has become a refrain.

第四詩節的"逃散無蹤"變成一種忍耐，

This person might want to run away too,

即便這男人也想逃跑，

but fortified by the sun's example,

但為了效仿太陽的英勇，

he might just rise.

他必須挺身而出。

Stevens saves that sonically odd word "meditation"

作者史蒂文斯以音韻破格的"冥想"一詞，

for the end.

來做為結尾。

Unlike the sun, human beings think.

因為人類不像太陽，人類會有所冥想，

We meditate on past and future, life and death,

我們常冥想過去與未來、生與死，

above and below.

上天堂或是下地獄，

And it can make us afraid.

這些讓我們感到畏懼，

Poems, the patterns in poems,

詩，以及詩的文體型式，

show us not just what somebody thought

不只告訴我們某人想了什麼、

or what someone did or what happened

做過什麼，或發生過什麼事，

but what it was like to be a person like that,

還能告訴我們，如果你是這樣的人， 你會有什麼感受，

to be so anxious, so lonely, so inquisitive,

當你如此焦慮、孤寂、好奇、

so goofy, so preposterous, so brave.

如此愚蠢、可笑，如此勇敢。

That's why poems can seem at once so durable,

這就是為什麼詩文總是如此歷久彌新、

so personal, and so ephemeral,

同時又如此私密、而且稍縱即逝，

like something inside and outside you at once.

私密得像是你內在的一部份， 卻又如外在世界般巨大。

The Scottish poet Denise Riley compares poetry

蘇格蘭詩人丹尼斯賴利，曾經把詩

to a needle, a sliver of outside I cradle inside,

比喻成一根銀針，銀針的織物 可以讓我放心窩在裡面

and the American poet Terrance Hayes

而美國詩人特倫斯海斯，

wrote six poems called "Wind in a Box."

寫了六首詩，題為"盒中的風"

One of them asks, "Tell me,

其中一首問道: "告訴我，

what am I going to do when I'm dead?"

當我死了之後要做什麼?"

And the answer is that he'll stay with us

而答案是他將會伴隨在我們身邊，

or won't stay with us inside us as wind,

或是像風一樣，飄然離我們而去，

as air, as words.

像是空氣、像是話語般短暫。

It is easier than ever to find poems

比起過去，現在很容易找到一首詩，

that might stay inside you, that might stay with you,

能夠留存心裡且一直伴隨著你，

from long, long ago, or from right this minute,

有些詩是古老的前人寫下、有些是當下的創作、

from far away or from right close to where you live,

有些來自遙遠的地方，有些則近在咫尺，

almost no matter where you live.

無論你身處何處，都可找尋到。

Poems can help you say, help you show how you're feeling,

詩文總是能幫助你表達你內心的感受，

but they can also introduce you

不僅如此，還能引領你，

to feelings, ways of being in the world,

感受另一個世界、

people, very much unlike you,

感受人，或許那人性格跟你相差甚遠，

maybe even people from long, long ago.

也可能那人早已永留青史。

Some poems even tell you

有些詩甚至會直接告訴你：

that that is what they can do.

這就是詩的功用。

That's what John Keats is doing

約翰・濟慈有一首詩就在寫這個，

in his most mysterious, perhaps, poem.

大概是他最神秘的一首，

It's mysterious because it's probably unfinished,

這首詩很神秘，可能是因為 濟慈可能並沒有寫完。

he probably left it unfinished,

他說不定是故意不寫完的。

and because it might be meant

也有可能因為這段，

for a character in a play,

是為他劇中的角色寫的台詞。

but it might just be Keats' thinking

不過這首詩也有可能只是濟慈的想法，

about what his own writing,

在想他的作品能做什麼，

his handwriting, could do,

他親筆寫下的文字到底有什麼用。

and in it I hear, at least I hear, mortality,

而在詩裡我體會到，起碼我體會到：死亡。

and I hear the power of older poetic techniques,

我體會到了古老詩歌的技法，

and I have the feeling, you might have the feeling,

且我有種感覺，我覺得你可能也會覺得，

of meeting even for an instant, almost becoming,

覺得好像有那麼一瞬間，你好像變成了

someone else from long ago,

好久以前的另一個人，

someone quite memorable.

他是一個難以忘懷的人：

"This living hand, now warm and capable

「這隻活生生的手，現在是溫暖的，充滿生氣，

Of earnest grasping, would, if it were cold

能夠熱誠的緊握事物。但若它是陰涼的，

And in the icy silence of the tomb,

且從冰冷寂靜的墳墓裡伸向你，

So haunt thy days and chill thy dreaming nights

讓你日日夜夜深受驚擾，

That thou would wish thine own heart dry of blood

你會希望自己心臟血液乾涸，

So in my veins red life might stream again,

好讓你的紅色生命 可以重新盈滿我的血管，

And thou be conscience-calm’d -- see here it is --

你才會安下良心並冷靜下來 -- 你看，就是我這隻手 --

I hold it towards you."

我現在將它伸向你。」

Thanks.

謝謝。

(Applause)

(掌聲)