Because I could not stop for Death

by 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 —

因为我不能停步等候死神

他殷勤停车接我

车厢里只有我们俩

还有“永生”同座

我们缓缓而行，他知道无需急促

我也抛开劳作

和闲暇，以回报

他的礼貌

我们经过学校，恰逢课间休息

孩子们正喧闹，在操场上

我们经过注目凝视的稻谷的田地

我们经过沉落的太阳

也许该说，是他经过我们而去

露水使我颤抖而且发凉

因为我的衣裳，只是薄纱

我的披肩，只是绢网

我们停在一幢屋前，这屋子

仿佛是隆起的地面

屋顶，勉强可见

屋檐，低于地面

从那时算起，已有几个世纪

却似乎短过那一天的光阴

那一天，我初次猜出

马头，朝向永恒