Sonnet on the Sale by Auction of Keats' Love Letters

These are the letters which Endymion wrote

To one he loved in secret, and apart.

And now the brawlers of the auction mart

Bargain and bid for each poor blotted note,

Ay! for each separate pulse of passion quote

The merchant's price: I think they love not Art

Who break the crystal of a poet's heart,

That small and sickly eyes may glare or gloat.



Is it not said that many years ago,

In a far Eastern town some soldiers ran

With torches through the midnight, and began

To wrangle for mean raiment, and to throw

Dice for the garments of a wretched man,

Not knowing the God's wonder, or His woe?

有感于济慈情书被拍卖

这是恩狄弥翁写下的一批情书，

献给他秘恋而隔离的意中人。

而今，拍卖场喧闹的人们

为每一张墨迹斑驳的信笺竞价，

唉！对激情每一次独立的搏动

开出交易的价格。他们并不爱艺术，

却击碎了诗人的一颗水晶心，

那些病态的小眼睛藉此可以藐视。



莫非不曾听说，许多年以前，

在遥远东方的小镇，几个士兵

举着火把穿过子夜，开始

为劣质布衣而争吵，抛掷骰子，

只为获取可怜人的一件长袍，

却浑然不觉上帝的诧异和伤心？