There is a hill near my home that I often climb at night. The noise of the city is a far-off murmur. In the hush of dark I share the cheerfulness of crickets and the confidence of owls. But it is the drama of the moonrise that I come to see. For that restores in me a quiet and clarity that the city spends too freely.
From this hill I have watched many moonsrises. Each one had its own mood.
There have been broad，confident harvest moons in autumn;shy, misty moons in spring;lonely, winter moons rising into the utter silence of an ink-black sky and smoke-smudged orange moons over the dry fields of summer. Each，like fine music, excited my heart and then calmed my soul.
Moon gazing is an ancient art. To prehistoric hunters the moon overhead was as unerring as heartbeat. They knew that every 29 days it becomes full-bellied and brilliant, then sickened and died，and then was reborn. They knew the waxing moon appeared larger and higher overhead after each succeeding sunset. They knew the waning moon rose later each night until it vanished in the sunrise. To have understood the moon's patterns from experience must have been a profound thing.
But we，who live indoors，have lost contact with the moon. The glare of street lights and the dust of pollution veil the night sky. Though men have walked on the moon，it grows less familiar. Few of us can say when the moon will rise tonight.
Still, it tugs at our minds. If we unexpectedly encounter the full moon，huge and yellow over the horizon，we are helpless but to stare back at its commanding presence. And the moon has gifts to bestow upon those who watch..... At moonrise, as we slow our minds to the pace of the heavens, enchantment steals over us. We open the vents of feeling and exercise parts of our minds that reason locks away by day. We hear, across the distances, murmurs of ancient hunters and see a new the visions of poets and lovers of long ago.
参考译文
我家的附近有一座小山，到了晚上，我总是喜欢爬到山上去，在那里，城市的喧嚣会变为一种遥远的低语。在黑暗笼罩的静谧之中，我可以与蟋蟀共同分享它们的快乐，感受猫头鹰的那份自信。不过，我上山的主要目的还是为了等待月出时分。因为这可以让我重新找回那种平静、清新的感觉。
我已经在这座山上欣赏过多次月亮升起的景象了。每一次月亮的情绪都是不同的。
秋天，浑圆的月亮充满自信；春天，朦胧的月亮羞羞答答；冬天，孤寂的银月挂在漆黑、静谧的夜空之中；夏天，烟雾缭绕的橙色月亮俯瞰着龟裂的田野。每一种月景都像一首美妙的音乐，震撼着我的心灵，让我的心能够重新感受到那份久违的平静。
赏月是一种古老的艺术。在古人眼中，月亮的准时出现就如人的心跳一样准确无误。人们知道每隔29天，月亮都会变得饱满明亮，然后会渐渐出现月缺，甚至是消失不见。但很快地，它会得到重生。他们知道月盈时期，每经过一次日落，头顶的月亮就会变得更高、更丰盈；他们还知道月亏时期，月亮升起的时间会一天迟于一天，最后，待日出后才会消失不见。远在古时，人们就可以通过以住的经验得知月亮的阴睛变化，真是不简单啊！
当今社会人们总是深居简出，很少会驻足观赏头上的月亮。城市里炫目的街灯和污浊的空气已经遮住了夜晚的星空。虽然人类已经成功地登上了月球，但月亮却更加陌生了。几乎没有人可以说出今晚会几时升起。
但无论怎样，月亮依旧会牵动我们的心。如果我们偶遇一轮橙色的满月高悬于空中，一定会禁不住驻足仰望它的华美。而月亮也会为观赏它的人送去厚礼．．．．．待到月出之时，我们会把自已的情绪慢慢舒缓下来，以便与上天同步，那时，一种心醉神迷的感受就会传遍全身。我们打开情感之窗，不再被白天的理智所束缚，让思绪任意蔓延。我们穿越了遥远的时空，听见古人的低语，再次看到很久以前诗人与恋人眼中的世界。
