Those Dancing Days Are Gone

Those Dancing Days Are Gone William B. Yeats 那些起舞的时光已逝 W. 叶芝 Come, let me sing into your ear; Those dancing days are gone, All that silk and satin gear; Crouch upon a stone, Wrapping that foul body up In as foul a rag: I carry the sun in a golden cup. The moon in a silver bag. Curse as you may I sing it through; That the most could pleasure you, The children that he gave, Are somewhere sleeping like a top Under a marble flag? I carry the sun in a golden cup. The moon in a silver bag. I thought it out this very day. Noon upon the clock, A man may put pretence away Who leans upon a stick, May sing, and sing until he drop, Whether to maid or hag: I carry the sun in a golden cup, The moon in a silver bag. 诗人好像是说，虽然我身穿华服跳舞的时光已流逝，但我可以继续唱。我的快乐不是靠青春敏捷和外表的美丽而是思想， 虽然我的粗俗的身体用丑陋抹布裹着，我依然可以扬眉吐气放声高歌，因为我不在乎别人对我外表的看法， 我的思想活跃，精神自由，摆脱虚伪。我虽然不再有跳舞的腿，但我有歌喉， 我可以咨意歌唱，从太阳高升唱到月亮高挂，直到倒在地上。 我没有叶芝的诗情才华，做不到诗人的潇洒，但诗人给了我希望，美丽不全靠光鲜靓丽的外表，容貌总有老去的那一天，当韶华逝去时，只注重外表的人，还剩下什么呢? ..而内心的光鲜却是可以长存的。内外皆修才是最重要的。 中国有句老话:腹有诗书气自华，一定要多读书多行善。 当然，有空也要研究披块麻布时怎样挂得好看点，至少不妨害市容。 总之，只要我能感觉太阳的光，月亮的影，我就要感受美丽， 歌唱美好。

ps, this poem remains me of another great poet Byron's 'She walks in Beauty' it's amazing how Yeats found unity between things when he brought together gold and silver. just as Byron seems to find unity within this woman, whether she be his cousin or not. he describes being able to 'unite all that's best of dark or night' within her.