I never glimpse her but she goes

我向來只瞥見她轉身的一刻

Who had been basking in the sun,

剛才還在陽光下沐浴

Her links of chain mail one by one

身上的鎖子甲光輝熠熠

Aglint with pewter, bronze and rose.

似白镴、青銅和玫瑰。

I never see her lying coiled

我從未見她盤臥

Atop the garden step, or under

在花園的石階上，或

A dark leaf, unless I blunder

蜷曲的葉影裏，除非陰差陽錯

And by some motion she is foiled.

某種力量將她拖延。

Too late I notice as she passes

太遲了，當我注意到她

Zither of chromatic scale—

滑過齊特琴的半音音階——

I only ever see her tail

我只窺見她的尾巴

Quicksilver into tall grasses.

像水銀沒入高草。

I know her only by her flowing,

我認識她，因為她流逝，

By her glamour disappearing

因為她的光彩

Into shadow as I’m nearing—

總在我靠近時隱匿——

I only recognize her going.

我只能認出她的背影。