The Shadow on the Stone  -  Thom

上邪！我欲与君相知，长命无绝衰。山无陵，江水为竭，冬雷震震，夏雨雪，天地合，乃敢与君绝！

相信大家都读过元稹的一首诗：曾经沧海难为水，除却巫山不是云。取次花丛懒回顾，半缘修道半缘君。爱妻过世，悲痛万分，读来情真意切。

英国作家托马斯·哈代也曾因爱妻过世，伤心欲绝，每每回想起曾经的美好生活都肝肠寸断。大有苏轼的“夜来幽梦忽还乡。小轩窗，正梳妆。相顾无言，惟有泪千行”的怆然之感。

I went by the Druid stone

我从凯特石旁走过

That broods in the garden white and lone,

她在花园中，惨白而孤单，

And I stopped and looked at the shifting shadows

我停步看着摇曳的树影

That at some moments fall thereon

伴着节奏的律动，

From the tree hard by with a rhythmic swing.

不时从石头掠过。

And they shaped in my imagining

在我的脑海中，这影子如此熟悉，

To the shade that a well-known head and shoulders

如她在园中干活时

Threw there when she was gardening.

头与肩投下的身影。

I thought her behind my back,

我感觉她就在身后，

Yea, her I long had learned to lack,

的确，我们分开已久，

And I said: "I am sure you are standing behind me,

因此我说：“我知道你就在身后，

Though how do you get into this old track?"

但你怎么也会走这条老路呢？”

And there was no sound but the fall of a leaf

没有任何回答，除了一片叶子

As a sad response; and to keep down grief

黯然飘落；我不愿回头证实

I would not turn my head to discover

这一切不过是幻觉，

That there was nothing in my belief.

唯恐哀伤决堤。

Yet I wanted to look and see

然而，我想亲眼看看

That nobody stood at the back of me;

我的身后确实没人；

But I thought once more: "Nay, I'll not unvision

但我转念一想：“不，我不能打破这幻想，

A shape which, somehow, there may be."

无论怎样，就让那可能的影子存在吧。”

So I went on softly from the glade,

于是，我轻轻走出这林间空地，

And left her behind me throwing her shade,

让她的影子在我的身后显现，

As she were indeed an apparition -

仿佛她真的是幽灵—

My head unturned lest my dream should fade.

我没有回头，以免打碎这幻梦。