Children of darkness got no wingsChildren of darkness got no wings,This we know we got no wings,Stay, dramatic figures, tethered downBy weight of cloth and fact,Crystal or funeral, got no hopeFor us that knows misventureOnly as wrong; but shan't the genius fail,Gliding, rope-dancing, is his fancy,Better nor us can't gainsay walking,Who'll break our necks upon the pavementEasier than he upon the ice.

For we are ordinary men,Sleep, wake, and sleep, eat, love, and laugh,With wide, dry mouths and eyes,Poor, petty vermin,Stink of cigarettes and armpits,Cut our figures, and retreat at nightInto a double or a single bed,The same thoughts in our head.

We are ordinary men,Bred in the dark behind the skirting-board,Crying with hungry voices in our nest.

Children of darkness got no wings,This we know, we got no wings,Stay, in a circle chalked upon the floor,Waiting all vainly this we know.

黑暗里的孩子没有翅膀黑暗里的孩子没有翅膀，我们知道自己没有翅膀，逗留，在戏里的人，没有点希望被戏服与真相，水晶饰品或葬礼，压弯身子，我们明白错误的冒险只如同过失;难道天才就不能失败吗，滑冰，踩钢丝，是他的爱好，最好我们不要，不要行走在钢丝上，我们在人行道上走，比他在冰上滑行更易跌断脖子。

因为我们都是凡人，干干的阔嘴唇、大眼睛入睡，醒来，再入睡，吃喝，恋爱，嬉笑，可怜的、小小的害虫，散发着香烟和腋窝的臭味，剪去身影，在夜里退隐到一张双人或单人床上，脑袋瓜里浮现同样的想法。

我们都是凡人，在踢脚板后面的黑暗里繁衍，巢穴里呼喊着我们饥渴的声音。

黑暗里的孩子没有翅膀，我们知道，我们没有翅膀，逗留，在地板上粉笔画的圆圈里，徒然等待我们明白这一切。

【英汉对照|托马斯诗选：黑暗里的孩子没有翅膀查看网站：[db:时间]】