因為我不能夠停下等死—
他為我停下友善和氣—
四輪馬車只載着我倆—
和不死。

我們慢慢驅車—他知道不急
而我也揮去了
我的工作和安逸，
緣他彬彬有禮—

我們經過學校，值課間休息
孩子們圍成圓環—打逗遊戲—
我們經過農田凝望五穀
我們經過落日—

確切地說—是他經過了我們—
那露水引來了冷顫寒氣—
因我的女禮服—僅為纖細的薄紗織物
我的披肩—不過是絹網而已

我們暫停於一幢建築物前
它看上去好似一片地面隆起—
那屋頂幾乎看不見—
宛如飛檐裝飾着大地—

自那以後—若幹個世紀—
可還是感覺比那天短，
我的一次猜測到那馬頭
是朝向永恆之地—

Because I could not stop for Death

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—

---By Emily Dickinson