the teams 亨利·劳森

The Teams
by Henry Lawson
A cloud of dust on the long, white road,
And the teams go creeping on
Inch by inch with the weary load;
And by the power of the green-hide goad
The distant goal is won.
With eyes half-shut to the blinding dust,
And necks to the yokes bent low,
The beasts are pulling as bullocks must;
And the shining tires might almost rust
While the spokes are turning slow.
With face half-hid by a broad-rimmed hat,
That shades from the heat's white waves,
And shouldered whip, with its green-hide plait,
The driver plods with a gait like that
Of his weary, patient slaves.
He wipes his brow, for the day is hot,
And spits to the left with spite;
He shouts at Bally, and flicks at Scot,
And raises dust from the back of Spot,
And spits to the dusty right.
He'll sometimes pause as a thing of form
In front of a settler's door,
And ask for a drink, and remark "It's warm,"
Or say "There's signs of a thunderstorm;"
But he seldom utters more.
The rains are heavy on roads like these
And, fronting his lonely home,
For days together the settler sees
The waggons bogged to the axletrees,
Or ploughing the sodden loam.
And then, when the roads are at their worst,
The bushman's children hear
The cruel blows of the whips reversed
While bullocks pull as their hearts would burst,
And bellow with pain and fear.
And thus—with glimpses of home and rest—
Are the long, long journeys done; And thus—
'tis a thankless life at the best!—
Is Distance fought in the mighty West,
And the lonely battle won.
这首诗是为所有在苦难中,艰难的前进途中的人所写,亨利·劳森熟悉下层人民的生活和思想感情,同情他们的遭遇,在作品中刻画了他们的生动形象,表现了他们优秀的品质.这也是他的作品受到大众欢迎的原因