萨拉·蒂斯代尔(Sara Teasdale,1884~1933),美国女诗人,其诗集《恋歌》(Love Songs,1917)曾赢得美国诗协会年度诗人奖(The Annual Prize of the Poetry Society of America)以及哥伦比亚大学诗协会奖[The Columbia University Poetry Society Prize,该奖项为普利策诗歌奖(The Pulitzer Prize for Poetry)的前身]。

爱情的悲欢、人生的孤寂、岁月的流逝、对往事的追忆、对死亡的沉思……这些都是蒂斯代尔的诗作中常见的主题。她的作品温婉质朴,情感节制、含蓄,语调温柔、舒缓。

这首“Let It Be Forgotten”(忘掉它)便是一例。人之一生,总有一些人、一些事令我们魂牵梦萦、刻骨铭心。漫漫人生路上,有天伦之乐,亦有断肠之痛,太多的欢喜与悲哀一次又一次地拍打撞击着我们心头那处最柔软的地方。

Let it be forgotten, as a flower is forgotten,

忘掉它，像忘掉一朵花

Forgotten as a fire that once was singing gold.

像忘掉炼过黄金的焰

Let it be forgotten forever and ever,

忘掉它，永远永远

Time is a kind friend, he will make us old.

时间是良友，它会使我们变成老年

If anyone asks, say it was forgotten

如果有人记起，就说早已忘记

Long and long ago,

在很久很久的往昔

As a flower, as a fire, as a hushed footfall

像火，像花，像无声的脚印

In a long-forgotten snow.

在早被遗忘的雪里