青春的飛逝

There are gains for all our losses，

There are balms1) for all our pain.

But when youth， the dream， departs，

It takes something from our hearts，

And it never comes again.

We are stronger， and are better，

Under manhood's sterner2) reign.

Still we feel that something sweet

Followed youth， with flying feet，

And will never come again.

Something beautiful is vanished3)，

And we sigh for it in vain.

We behold4) it everywhere，

On the earth， and in the air，

But it never comes again.

Richard Henry Stoddard (理查德·亨利·斯托達德，1825~1903)，美國詩人，其詩歌作品以寧靜、誠懇、細膩著稱，被譽為“抒情詩人”。

在這首《青春的飛逝》(The Flight of Youth)中，斯托達德將青春比喻成夢境，夢醒時分一切就會消逝無蹤，徒留無限悵惘。整首詩充滿了對青春的留戀，對青春易逝的感嘆。其字里行間滿溢作者的無限惆悵。讀罷掩卷，正值青春年華的我們有何感想?與其回憶和懷念美麗的青春過往，不如珍惜現在，享受當下。在青春逝去之時，我們才能毫無遺憾地與其微笑揮別。

Vocabulary

1.balm [bB:m] n. (治療或鎮痛用的)香樹脂;香膏，鎮痛軟膏

2.stern [stE:n] adj. 嚴峻的，嚴酷的

3.vanish [5vAnIF] vt. 使不見;使消失

4.behold [bI5hEuld] vt. 看;看見