因我無法為死亡留步 

狄艾 狄金森 林木譯

因我無法為死亡留步——

他好心為我停留——

馬車隻容得下我們自己——

和永生。

我們緩慢前駛——他不著急

而我也安頓好

我的作息，

回應他的謙恭——

我們路過學校，學童

課間休息時——在圓形操場裏嬉鬧——

我們路過引人注目的糧田——

我們經過落日——

或者更確切地說——他經過了我們——

凝露引起寒顫——

因為我的長袍，隻如蛛絲——

我的披肩——如薄紗——

我們在一座房前駐足，它看似

從地麵隆起——

屋頂隱約可見——

屋簷——埋在土裏——

從那時起——已過數個世紀——但

感覺短於這一天

當初我猜想那些馬頭

朝向永恒——

Because I could not stop for Death

Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death –

He kindly stopped for me –

The Carriage held but just Ourselves –

And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste

And I had put away

My labor and my leisure too,

For His Civility –

We passed the School, where Children strove

At Recess – in the Ring –

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –

We passed the Setting Sun –

Or rather – He passed Us –

The Dews drew quivering and Chill –

For only Gossamer, my Gown –

My Tippet – only Tulle –

We paused before a House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground –

The Roof was scarcely visible –

The Cornice – in the Ground –

Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet

Feels shorter than the Day

I first surmised the Horses' Heads

Were toward Eternity –