Poem 449

J449

I died for beauty, but was scarce

 

Adjusted in the tomb,

 

when one who died for truth

 

ln 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

Uhtil the moss had reached our lips

 

And covered up our names.

 

 
 
  Annotation

Line

Word or phrase

Annotation

1

beauty

(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-

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

brothers;兄弟之意。

11-12

Uhtil 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。

 
 
  Analysis

在這首小詩中,詩中說明了人死的意義,並強調「真」與「美」」是一回事。