因为我无法驻足等候死神——
他友善地停车等我——
马车里只有我们俩——
还有永生。
我们缓缓前行，他从容不迫
我将劳作与安逸
放在一旁，
以回应他的礼遇——
我们经过学校，恰逢课间
操场上，孩子们追逐玩闹——
我们经过长满稻谷的田野，凝望着——
我们经过落日——
或许，是他经过我们身旁——
冰冷的露水使我颤抖——
我穿着，单薄的裙衫——
披巾，是一层轻纱——
我们停在一座房屋前
大地仿佛在升腾——
屋顶隐约可见——
屋檐，在地面之下——
那时，仿佛已度过几个世纪，却还
不及这一天长久
我第一次猜出，马头
指向永恒——
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—