When you are old and gray and full of sleep,
         And nodding by the fire,take down this book,
         And slowly read,and dream of the soft look,
         Your eyes had once,and of their shadows deep.
        
         当你老了,两鬓斑白,睡意沉沉,
         倦坐在炉边,取下这本书来,
         慢慢读起,追忆那当年的眼神,
         神色柔和,倒影深深.
        
          How many loved your moments of glad grace,
         And loved your beauty with love false or true,
         But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
         And loved the sorrows of your changing face.
        
         多少人曾爱慕你青春妩媚的身影,
         爱过你的美貌出自假意或者情真,
         而唯独一人爱你那朝圣者的心,
         爱你日渐苍老的容颜
        
         And bending down beside the glowing bars,
         Murmur,a little sadly,how love fled,
         And paced upon the mountains overhead,
         And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
         你弯下腰,在灼热的炉边,
         在浅浅忧伤中沉吟:爱情如何逝去,
         在山峦的巅峰独行,
         将他的面容隐没在繁星中间.
        
         ----------叶芝献给他的至爱毛特.岗的情诗:《当你老了》。