William Hughes Mearns, 1875-1965
better known as Hughes Mearns
an American educator and poet.
A graduate of Harvard University and
the University of Pennsylvania,
Mearns was a Professor at
the Philadelphia School of Pedagogy from 1905 to 1920.
Mearns is remembered now as the author of the poem "Antigonish"
(or "The Little Man Who Wasn't There"),
but his ideas, about encouraging the natural creativity of children,
particularly those age 3 through 8, were novel at the time.
It has been written about him that
"He typed notes of their conversations;
he learned how to make them forget there was an adult around;
never asked them questions and never showed surprise
no matter what they did or said."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hughes_Mearns
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Вечная тайна
Увидев девушку безвестную случайно,
"Как поживаете?" - спросил ее поэт.
Ни слова девушка не молвила в ответ,
И, как живет она, навек осталось тайной...
Самуил Маршак
Перевод эпиграммы Хьюза Мирнза
К сожалению, оригинал мне неизвестен
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A poet has met a girl so nice and shy
And asked politely, "Hi, how are you?"
However, she said nothing in reply
And how `is she, nobody knew.
Обратный перевод
VG, 22 ноября 2012
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As I was sitting in my chair,
I knew the bottom wasn't there,
Nor legs nor back, but I just sat,
Ignoring little things like that.
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Раз сел я в кресло, сняв ботинки,
В котором не было ни спинки,
Ни ножек, ни сиденья. Но
На нем сидел я всё равно,
Не размышляя ни о чём
И в такт качая башмаком...
Сидел, и мелкие детали
Меня нимало не смущали.
VG, 30 декабря 2013
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Yesterday upon the stair
I met a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today.
Oh, how I wish he'd go away
When I came home last night at three,
The man was waiting there for me,
But when I looked around the hall,
I couldn't see him there at all!
Go away, go away, don't you come back any more!
Go away, go away, and please don't slam the door.
Last night I saw upon the stair
A little man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today.
Oh, how I wish he'd go away.