～齐迪克·蒂奇波恩
我的青春年华，只有忧心的白霜，
我的欢宴，只有一盘哀痛，
我的收成，只有一地稗子，
我得到的补益，只有虚无的希望；
白昼将尽，依然不见太阳，
现在我虽然活着，然而人生已终结。
未曾自述，我的故事已风传，
枝叶葱翠，我的果实却脱落，
未曾衰老，我的青春已耗竭，
无人见过我，我却看透了人世；
未曾纺织，我的纱线已剪断，
现在我虽然活着，然而人生已终结。
我追寻死亡，却发现它在母胎，
我寻找生命，却找到一个幻影，
我踩踏泥土，才知道这是我的坟墓，
现在我要死去，现在我才被创造；
我的沙漏充盈，我的沙子流失，
现在我虽然活着，然而人生已终结。
（桔子 译）
Elegy
～Chidiock Tichborne
My prime of youth is but a frost of cares,
My feast of joy is but a dish of pain,
My crop of corn is but a field of tares,
And all my good is but vain hope of gain;
The day is past, and yet I saw no sun,
And now I live, and now my life is done.
My tale was heard and yet it was not told,
My fruit is fallen, and yet my leaves are green,
My youth is spent and yet I am not old,
I saw the world and yet I was not seen;
My thread is cut and yet it is not spun,
And now I live, and now my life is done.
I sought my death and found it in my womb,
I looked for life and saw it was a shade,
I trod the earth and knew it was my tomb,
And now I die, and now I was but made;
My glass is full, and now my glass is run,
And now I live, and now my life is done.
1586年，旨在刺杀英格兰女王伊丽莎白一世的“巴宾顿阴谋”失败，除了主犯安东尼·巴宾顿以及伊丽莎白的堂妹、苏格兰女王玛丽一世被处死之外，作为从犯，年仅24岁的诗人齐迪克·蒂奇波恩也被判死刑。
在执行的前夕，蒂奇波恩在伦敦塔写下最后的诗歌——Elegy，给自己的挽歌。
从这首诗我们看到诗人那惊世的才华。用矛盾和悖论反映世界的荒谬，用复合的反衬突显个体和理想的脆弱，它可能是人类历史上最令人悲痛的绝命诗。
Paul Klee, This flower wishes to fade