只因我無法停下來等死神

只因我無法停下來等死神

--Emily Dickinson，羅浩原 譯

只因我無法停下來等死神——

他親切地順道來接我——

停駐的馬車上只有我倆——

以及不朽翁

我們徐徐驅車——他一點也不急

我也已拋下了

我的工作與我的消遣

只因他實是客氣——

我們經過了學校，孩子們正奮力

下著課——於鈴聲中——

我們經過了田野，滿是凝望的穀穗

我們經過了夕陽——

毋寧說——是夕陽君經過了我們——

眾露水們引來一陣哆嗦與寒意

因為僅有薄紗，為我衣袍——

我的披肩——僅是細絹——

我們暫停於一所屋宇前，似乎只像

地面上的一處隆起——

屋簷窄少到幾乎看不見——

簷腳榫飾——都到了地面——

此後——過了數世紀——但卻

感覺還不到一天

我才首次臆度到驛馬們朝向

永恆公的方向奔馳——

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 –