W. B. Yeats - On Being Asked for a War Poem 汉译

 I think it better that in times like these  

A poet keep his mouth shut, for in truth  

We have no gift to set a statesman right;  

He has had enough of meddling who can please  

A young girl in the indolence of her youth,     

Or an old man upon a winter’s night.

有人求作战争诗有感

威廉·巴特勒·叶芝

我想在这样的时代里最好

让诗人缄默，因为事实上

我们没有天赋以纠正政客；

管够了闲事的他只会讨好

一个青春慵懒的年轻女郎，

或一个寒冬之夜里的老爹。