On Visiting the Tomb of Burns
The town, the churchyard, and the setting sun, The clouds, the trees, the rounded hills all seem, Though beautiful, cold – strange – as in a dream I dreamèd long ago. Now new begun The short-lived, paly summer is but won From winter’s ague, for one hour’s gleam;
Through sapphire-warm, their stars do never beam –
All is cold Beauty; pain is never done For who has mind to relish, Minos-wise, The real of Beauty, free from that dead hue Fickly imagination and sick pride
Cast wan upon it! Burns! with honour due I have oft honoured thee. Great shadow,
hide Thy face! I sin against thy native skies.
访彭斯 1 墓
小镇,墓园,落日余晖,
乌云,树木,环山而现,
尽管美丽,却冰冷、陌生——恍若深陷
久违的梦魇。新到的急促而苍白的夏天
只是从寒冬争来的
阳春片刻;
透过蓝宝石般的温暖,星星也从不闪耀——
那只是冷冰冰的美;痛苦永无止境
谁有心享受米诺斯 2 式的,
真真切切的美,而非狂戾的想象
和病态的傲气带来的
苍白无力的色调!彭斯!我一向
尊重你。伟大的灵魂,隐藏你的面容吧!
我冒犯了你故乡的天空 3。