[1과] Ballad of Birmingham, Dudley Randall 해석

"Mother(인물1) dear, may I(인물2, 딸) go downtown

Instead of out to play,

And march the streets of Birmingham

In a Freedom March today?"

→ 1연: 딸이 엄마에게 자유행진(= 인종차별 폐지 운동 지지 행진)에 참여해도 되는지 물어본다. 

 

“No, baby, no, you may not go, 

For(= because) the dogs are fierce and wild,

And clubs and hoses, guns and jails

Aren’t good for a little child.”

→ 2연: 어머니가 딸의 제안을 거절하고, 행진의 위험성에 대해 설명한다.

 

“But, mother, I won’t be alone.

Other children will go with me,

And march the streets of Birmingham

To make our country free.”

→ 3연: 딸이 엄마에게 행진의 목적을 설명하며 설득한다. 

 

“No, baby, no, you may not go,

For I fear those guns will fire.

But you may go to church instead

And sing in the children’s choir.”

→ 4연: 엄마는 또 다시 거절하고, 대신 안전하다고 생각되는 교회에 가길 권유한다.

 

She has combed and brushed her night-dark hair, 빗질

And bathed rose petal sweet, 목욕

And drawn white gloves on her small brown hands, 장갑

And white shoes on her feet. 신발

→ 5연: 교회에 가기 전 준비한다.

 

The mother smiled to know her child

Was in the sacred성스러운 place (= church),

But that smile was the last smile

To come upon her face.

→ 6연: 엄마는 자식이 교회에 있어서 안심한다. 

 

For when she heard the explosion (→ bomb), 

Her eyes grew wet and wild.

She raced through the streets of Birmingham

Calling for her child.

→ 7연: 교회에 폭탄이 떨어졌고, 엄마는 아이를 찾기 위해 거리를 돌아다닌다. 

 

She clawed through bits of glass and brick,

Then lifted out a shoe.

“O, here’s the shoe my baby wore,

But, baby, where are you?” 

→ 8연: 딸이 신었던 신발을 발견하고 딸이 죽었음을 직감한다.