He Wishes For The Colths Of Heaven 他祈求天神的袍服
Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths, inwrought with golden and silver light.
假若我有天神的绣袍,镶嵌着金光和银光。
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths of night and light and the half-light, I would spread the cloths under your feet:
那些湛蓝、浅灰和深黑色的绣袍,闪烁着夜光、日光和霞光,我愿把它们全都铺在您的足下;
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
但我身无分文,只有梦想,
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
我已经把梦想铺在您的足下,
Tread softly because you tread upon my dreams.
请轻轻踏着走,因为您踏着我的梦想。
这首小诗发表在1899年的诗集《苇间风》中。他的早期诗作(1899年之前)融合进个人对爱尔兰乡间生活和民族神话的探索和思考,其语言风格受到拉斐尔前派散文和浪漫主义的影响。关于本诗的题目, 其实还有另外一种写法:Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven。即是说,这里的“他”是有所指的。Aedh是叶芝诗歌中的三大神话形象之一,另外两位Michael Robartes和Red Hanrahan分别代表着智慧和浪漫的形象,而Aedh却是一位面容憔悴、害相思病的失恋者。