约翰ˇ格林利夫ˇ惠蒂埃
(JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER)

巴巴拉ˇ弗里彻
Barbara Frietchie

《巴巴拉ˇ弗里彻》是一首著名的爱国诗歌ˇ作于1863年ˇ经常被编进诗集并被人深情地背诵下来。一个多世纪以来ˇ“她说ˇ‘如果你必须开枪ˇ那就朝我这头发灰白的老人打吧ˇ但请别打你们的国旗。’”造句诗在民族文化的语汇里一直占有特殊的位置。惠蒂埃坚持说这个故事是真实的ˇ而且在华盛顿和马里兰都很闻名ˇ他没有理由怀疑它的准确性。不管是不是真的ˇ这首诗已经爲几代美国人所喜爱。


凉爽的九月早晨ˇ气清天朗ˇ
在那盛産玉米的草地上ˇ

矗立着一群群弗雷德里克城的塔尖ˇ
马里兰的山冈就ˇ绿墙把它们围在中间。

在它们周围到处是果园ˇ
苹果和桃树硕果结满园。

在那些饥饿的叛军眼里ˇ
就ˇ主的花园一样美丽。

在那个凉爽的初秋早晨ˇ
李将军的队伍踏过山城。

他们骑马步行遍布山峰。
迤逦走ˇ弗雷德里克城。

四十面饰着银色五星的旗。
四十面饰着深红条纹的旗。

晨风中飘动星条旗四十面ˇ
晌午的太阳却看不到一面。

这时老巴巴拉ˇ弗里彻站起来ˇ
她高龄九十腰都直不起来。

她是弗雷德里克城最勇敢的人ˇ
她拿起了士兵们降下的星条旗。

她把旗竿插在她家顶楼的窗上ˇ
以表明有一颗心还是忠贞无上。

叛军的队伍从大街上走过来ˇ
斯通沃尔ˇ杰克逊骑马走在前头。

他戴着垂边软帽左看右视ˇ
看到了那面破旧的星条旗。

“停ˇ”ˇˇ风尘仆仆的队伍立定不前ˇ
“开火ˇ”ˇˇ来复枪喷发出烈火烈焰。

窗户、玻璃和窗框都在颤动ˇ
子弹将星条旗撕成条条洞洞。

当旗从断竿上迅速落下时ˇ
巴巴拉老人赶紧抓住丝质的旗面。

她将身体远远倾出窗台ˇ
以极大的毅力把旗摇摆。

她说ˇ“如果你们必须开枪ˇ就朝我这头发灰白人打吧ˇ
但请别打你们的国旗。”

指挥官的脸上露出一点悲哀ˇ
他差愧得满脸通红ˇ

那个女人的言行ˇ
激发出他心中更高尚的天性ˇ

他说ˇ“谁碰那位白发老人一根毛ˇ
就会跟狗一样死去ˇ前进ˇ”

整个弗雷德里克城的街上ˇ
一整天都ˇ着他们行军的脚步声ˇ

那面自由的旗帜ˇ
一整天都飘扬在叛军头上。

就连它被撕破的褶条也在上下起伏ˇ
飘动在热爱它的忠诚的清风中。

夕阳的光辉透过山间的缝隙ˇ
照耀在旗上致以热情的晚安。

巴巴拉ˇ弗里彻的工作已完毕ˇ
叛军再也没有来袭击。

ˇ她致敬ˇ而且爲了她ˇ
让我们洒滴泪在斯通沃尔的灵柩上。

在巴巴拉ˇ弗里彻的坟墓上ˇ
飘扬着自由和联邦的旗帜ˇ

你是光明和法律的ˇ征ˇ
你引来和平ˇ秩序和美ˇ

天上的星星朝下看星星ˇ
永远会看到弗雷德里克城上你的五星ˇ

 

Up from the meadows rich with corn,
Clear in the cool September morn,

The clustered spires of Frederick stand
Green-walled by the hills of Maryland.

Round about them orchards sweep,
Apple and peach tree fruited deep,

Fair as the garden of the Lord
To the eyes of the famished rebel horde.

On that pleasant morn of the early fall
When Lee marched over the mountain-wall;

Over the mountains winding down,
Horse and foot, into Frederick town.

Forty flags with their silver stars,
Forty flags with their crimson bars,

Flapped in the morning wind: the sun
Of noon looked down, and saw not one.

Up rose old Barbara Frietchie then,
Bowed with her fourscore years and ten;

Bravest of all in Frederick town,
She took up the flag the men hauled down;

In her attic window the staff she set,
To show that one heart was loyal yet.

Up the street came the rebel tread,
Stonewall Jackson riding ahead.

Under his slouched hat left and right
He glanced; the old flag met his sight.

"Halt!"ˇthe dust-brown ranks stood fast
"Fire!"ˇout blazed the rifle-blast.

It shivered the window, pane and sash;
It rent the banner with seam and gash.

Quick, as it fell, from the broken staff
Dame Barbara snatched the silken scarf.

She leaned far out on the window-sill,
And shook it forth -with a royal will.

"Shoot, if you must, this old gray head,
But spare your country's flag," she said.

A shade of sadness, a blush of shame,

Over the face of the leader came;

The nobler nature within him stirred

To life at that -woman's deed and word;

"Who touches a hair on yon gray head
Dies like a dog! March on!" he said.

All day long through Frederick street

Sounded the tread of marching feet:

All day long that free flag tost
Over the heads of the rebel host.

Ever its torn folds rose and fell
On the loyal winds that loved it well;

And through the hill-gaps sunset light
Shone over it with a warm good-night.

Barbara Frietchie's work is o'er,
And the Rebel rides on his raids no more.

Honor to her! and let a tear
Fall, for her sake, on Stonewall's bier.

Over Barbara Frietchie's grave
Flag of Freedom and Union, wave!

Peace and order and beauty draw
Round thy symbol of light and law;

And ever the stars above look down
On thy stars below in Frederick town!