威廉·华兹华斯 我们是七个/摘要和解释
诗歌的开头，说话者问一个充满生命力的简单孩子，他们能知道多少关于死亡的事情。然后他遇到一个八岁的小女孩，她有着浓密卷曲的头发。她很粗俗，但却非常美丽，让叙述者感到快乐。他问她有多少兄弟姐妹，她回答说包括她在内，有七个。
———A simple Child, That lightly draws its breath, And feels its life in every limb, What should it know of death? I met a little cottage Girl: She was eight years old, she said; Her hair was thick with many a curl That clustered round her head. She had a rustic, woodland air, And she was wildly clad: Her eyes were fair, and very fair; —Her beauty made me glad. “Sisters and brothers, little Maid, How many may you be?” “How many? Seven in all,” she said, And wondering looked at me.
说话者接着问孩子她的兄弟姐妹在哪里。她回答说“我们有七个”，并告诉他，有两个在康威镇，两个在海上，两个躺在教堂墓地里。她和她的母亲住在坟墓附近。
“And where are they? I pray you tell.” She answered, “Seven are we; And two of us at Conway dwell, And two are gone to sea. “Two of us in the church-yard lie, My sister and my brother; And, in the church-yard cottage, I Dwell near them with my mother.”
叙述者感到困惑，问她他们怎么会是七个。说话者的计算结果与女孩的计算结果不一致。说话者说，如果两个死了，那么只剩下五个了。小女孩告诉他，她仍然花时间和已经去世的兄弟姐妹在一起，这让诗人感到震惊。
"You say that two at Conway dwell, And two are gone to sea, Yet ye are seven! I pray you tell, Sweet Maid, how this may be.” Then did the little Maid reply, “Seven boys and girls are we; Two of us in the church-yard lie, Beneath the church-yard tree.” “You run about, my little Maid, Your limbs they are alive; If two are in the church-yard laid, Then ye are only five.” “Their graves are green, they may be seen,” The little Maid replied, “Twelve steps or more from my mother’s door, And they are side by side. “My stockings there I often knit, My kerchief there I hem; And there upon the ground I sit, And sing a song to them. “And often after sun-set, Sir, When it is light and fair, I take my little porringer, And eat my supper there.
小女孩解释说，首先她的姐姐简因病去世了。这个女孩认为死亡让她的姐姐解脱了痛苦和折磨。她和她的弟弟约翰在简的坟墓旁玩耍，直到约翰也去世了。她说，现在约翰躺在了简的旁边，这样他们就一直在一起了。
The first that dies was sister Jane; In bed she moaning lay, Till God released her of her pain; And then she went away. “So in the church-yard she was laid; And, when the grass was dry, Together round her grave we played, My brother John and I. “And when the ground was white with snow, And I could run and slide, My brother John was forced to go, And he lies by her side.”
这个人再次问她有多少兄弟姐妹，因为有两个已经死了。她仍然固执地声称她有七个兄弟姐妹。这个人试图说服她说，“但是他们死了”，但他意识到自己的话是浪费的。这首诗以小女孩说“不，我们有七个！”而结束。
How many are you, then,” said I, “If they two are in heaven?” Quick was the little Maid’s reply, “O Master! we are seven.” “But they are dead; those two are dead! Their spirits are in heaven!” ’Twas throwing words away; for still The little Maid would have her will, And said, “Nay, we are seven!”
解释
这首诗是男人和一个小女孩之间有趣对话。它特别引人入胜，因为对话本来可以不到五行，但它却长达69行。男人无法接受这样一个事实，即小女孩仍然觉得她有七个兄弟姐妹，即使她的两个兄弟姐妹已经去世了。说话者以一个问题开始这首诗：一个孩子能知道多少关于死亡的事情。在开头，看起来小女孩似乎对死亡的理解很少。她似乎对兄弟姐妹的死亡感到否认，尤其是因为她声称她仍然花时间和他们在一起。在她眼中，生与死的界限消失了。她的兄弟姐妹仍然在她生命中存在。然而，到诗歌的结尾，读者不禁会感到，也许小女孩比她正在谈话的男人更了解生命和死亡。她拒绝让自己因悲伤而变得无能为力，或将死者赶出她的生命。相反，她接受了事物会改变的事实，并尽她所能快乐地生活下去。