——J. Clare
I ne'er was struck before that hour
With love so sudden and so sweet,
Her face it bloomed like a sweet flower
And stole my heart away complete.
My face turned pale as deadly pale.
My legs refused to walk away,
And when she looked, what could I ail?
My life and all seemed turned to clay.
And then my blood rushed to my face
And took my eyesight quite away,
The trees and bushes round the place
Seemed midnight at noonday.
I could not see a single thing,
Words from my eyes did start——
They spoke as chords do from the string,
And blood burnt round my heart.
Are flowers the winter's choice?
Is love's bed always snow?
She seemed to hear my silent voice,
Not love's appeals to know.
I never saw so sweet a face
As that I stood before.
My heart has left its dwelling-place
And can return no more.
克萊[1]
在那以前,我從未感受過愛情,
它來得那么突然,那么甜美!
她的臉鮮花般艷麗動人,
我的靈魂早被它勾攝出竅。
我的臉蒼白得好生可怕,
我的腿已難以動彈半步。
在她的目光下,這苦惱無以復加,
我的生命和一切似乎已凝固!
我的臉轉眼間又涌起紅潮,
我的眼前已模糊一片:
周圍的樹和那灌木
都成了正午的深夜。
我已看不見任何物體,
我的目光代替了聲音——
就好像從琴弦彈出。
血液在我心中沸騰!
鮮花是不是冬天的奇珍?
難道愛情的眠床意味著嚴寒?
她似乎聽見了我默默的提問,
但仍不知愛情的呼喊。
我從未見過有誰的臉
如此動人地在我眼前顯現(xiàn),
我的心早已飛出它的棲息地,
從此再不回來。
* * *
[1]約翰·克萊(John Clare,1793—1864),詩人。生于北安普頓的一個勞動者家庭。代表作有《鄉(xiāng)村的吟游詩人》《牧羊人日歷》《鄉(xiāng)野繆斯》等。1837年,曾因精神病住院。在世時,他的詩無人欣賞,去世后才擁有較多讀者。詩集有《描述鄉(xiāng)村生活和風光的詩》。