Because I could not stop for Death
因为我不曾停下等死神
Emily Dickinson · 艾米莉·狄金森
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 –
因为我不曾停下等死神——
他好心地为我停下——
马车上只有我们两个——
还有不朽。
我们缓缓前行——他不急躁，
而我也已放下
我的劳作与闲暇，
为了他的礼数——
我们经过学校，孩子们
正在课间的圆圈里嬉闹——
我们经过凝望的麦田——
我们经过西沉的落日——
不如说——是他经过了我们的——
露水颤抖而沁凉——
我的裙摆只是薄纱——
我的披肩——只是轻纱——
我们在一幢房屋前停步，
它像大地的隆起——
屋顶几乎看不见——
檐口——埋入大地——
从此——已是几个世纪——却
比那一天还短，
我第一次猜到那马首
正朝向永恒——
狄金森把死神写成彬彬有礼的马车夫，载人穿过童年与暮年，驶向永恒。