乡愁

Homesickness

作者｜余光中(Yu Guangzhong)

英译｜周柯楠(Zhou Kenan)

小时候

乡愁是一枚小小的邮票

我在这头

母亲在那头

As a child

Homesickness was a tiny stamp

I was here

And my mother over there

长大后

乡愁是一张窄窄的船票

我在这头

新娘在那头

As an adult

Homesickness was a narrow ship ticket

I was here

And my bride over there

后来啊

乡愁是一方矮矮的坟墓

我在外头

母亲在里头

Later on

Homesickness was a low tomb

I stood outside

And my mother lay inside

而现在

乡愁是一湾浅浅的海峡

我在这头

大陆在那头

And now

Homesickness is a narrow strait

I am on this side of the strait

And the mainland is on the other

1972年1月21日

On January 21st, 1972