余光中⊙鄉愁

小時候
鄉愁是一枚小小的郵票
我在這頭
母親在那頭

長大後
鄉愁是一張窄窄的船票
我在這頭
新娘在那頭

後來
鄉愁是一方矮矮的墳墓
我在外頭
母親在裡頭

而現在
鄉愁是一灣淺淺的海峽
我在這頭
大陸在那頭

Yu Kuang-chung (Yu Guangzhong)
Nostalgia

When I was young,
Nostalgia was a tiny, tiny stamp,
Me on this side,
Mother on the other side.

When I grew up,
Nostalgia was a narrow boat ticket,
Me on this side,
Bride on the other side.

But later on,
Nostalgia was a lowly grave,
Me on the outside,
Mother on the inside.

And at present,
Nostalgia becomes a shallow strait,
Me on this side,
Mainland on the other side.

----Translated by the poet