诗歌:The Firm of Happiness, Limited

英语自学网

　　The Firm of Happiness, Limited
        　　Norman Cameron
        　　The Firm of Happiness, Limited was one to astonish the stars,
        　　More like a thriving town than a multiple store--- a hotchpotch
        　　Of markets and playrooms and chapels and brothels and baths and bars,
        　　As smoothly running and closely packed as the works of a watch.
        　　Nobody finally understood the cause of the crash.
        　　Some spoke of Nemesis; others rumoured, vaguely, of course,
        　　That a gang of directors jad simply robbed the firm of its cash,
        　　Or that some ironical Jew was selling it short on the Bourse.
        　　Whatever the reason, the firm of a sudden began to fail.
        　　The floor were undusted at corners, the commissionaries were unshaved,
        　　The girls were anxious and raucous, the comedians' jokes were stale.
        　　The customers noticed the difference---to judge from the way they behaved.
        　　When Happiness closed its doors, the Corporation of the city
        　　Were distressed to see so vast a property left alone
        　　To moulder and waste; in a mingled impulse of thrift and pity
        　　They decided to buy the empty building, and floated a loan.
        　　Now nobody knows what to do with this monstrous hulk we have bought.
        　　At the last Corporation meeting one alderman, half in jest,
        　　Spoke of turning it into a barracks.Meanwhile there's the dreary thought
        　　That we ratepayers have to keep paying the burdensome interest.
       
        　　幸福有限责任公司
        　　诺尔曼・卡麦隆
        　　幸福有限责任公司震惊星辰，
        　　像百货公司，更像兴旺的城镇--
        　　集市、游乐、酒吧、妓院、教堂、澡堂无所不包，
        　　排列精密正如钟表运转有条不紊。
        　　对它的倒闭人们始终不懂个中奥妙，
        　　是上天惩罚还是人为灾祸各有传闻;
        　　或者败在卷走资金的领导集团?
        　　或者毁于股市将它抛售的犹太商人?
        　　公司突然开始崩溃，不管是何原因，
        　　管理委员面容不整，地上角落布满灰尘;
        　　不安的小姐声音嘶哑，笑星遭到厌弃，
        　　顾客察觉到这一切变化，不再登门。
        　　公司巨大的资产闲置、发霉，
        　　看到这副景象市政机关实在痛心;
        　　他们决定筹集贷款买下空楼，
        　　既是为了节俭也是出于怜悯。
        　　买下巨大的空楼无人知道如何处理，
        　　用作工棚吧，市政会上议员的玩笑半假半真。
        　　我们这些纳税人还得为它继续支付利息，
        　　想到这一点人人感到非常郁闷。