Poem 449

J449

I died for beauty, but was scarce
Adjusted in the tomb,
when one who died for truth
In an adjoining room.
He questioned softly why l failed?	5
"For beauty, I replied.
" And I for truth- themself are one-
We brethren are", he said.
And so, as kinsmen met a night
We talked between the rooms	10
Until the moss had reached our lips
And covered up our names.

　
Annotation

Line	Word or phrase	Annotation
1	beauty	美(真、善、美乃人生追求的最高境界)。
2	Adjusted	適應。
3	one who died for truth	為追求真理而犧牲的人。
4	adjoining room	鄰室(在其中)。
5	questioned softly why l failed	輕輕的質問為何我失敗?
7	themself are one-	指truth和beauty原本是一件事(這是「似是而非」之語，因themself是單數"，而動詞劫用多數are)。
8	brethren	即brothers;兄弟之意。
11-12	Until the moss...covered up our names	直到青苔長到我們的嘴巴上，而且覆蓋了我們的名字。意指我們被遺忘。