应该说，现在读诗歌的人越来越少了吧，连我自己也很少读了，好多诗还是因为被谱成歌曲传唱了，才被人知道，《Down by the Salley Gardens》就是其中一首吧，至少我是这样的。这是当初因为想学唱一首英文歌，V推荐给我的，爱尔兰民谣本就招人喜欢，再加上藤田惠美的声音，这首歌一下子就吸引了我。
后来才知道，这竟也是叶芝的诗！
虽然2016年9月8日已经介绍过一首由叶芝的诗改为的歌《当你老了》，但是今天还是要再介绍这一首《Down by the Salley Gardens》（柳园里），此诗的女主角与《When you are old》的女主角是同一个人，你相信吗？
１、歌词
Down by thesalley gardens
My love and Idid meet
She passedthe salley gardens
With littlesnow-white feet
She bid metake love easy
As the leavesgrow on the tree
But I beingyoung and foolish
With herwould not agree
In a field bythe river
My love and Idid stand
And on myleaning shoulder
She laid hersnow-white hand
She bid metake life easy
As the grassgrows on the weirs
But I wasyoung and foolish
And now I'mfull of tears
Down by thesalley gardens
My love and Idid meet
She passedthe salley gardens
With littlesnow-white feet
She bid metake love easy
As the leavesgrow on the tree
But I beingyoung and foolish
With herwould not agree
２、创作背景
叶芝的手稿中记录了这首歌的创作背景。叶芝在爱尔兰西部的斯莱戈郊外的村庄里，听见了一位年迈的农民在哼唱一首民谣，名叫TheRambling Boys of Pleasure，歌词里就提到了Sally Gardens ("It was down by Sally's Garden one evening late I took my way")。叶芝觉得很好听，就过去想听完整版。然而这位年迈的农民已经不记得完整的歌词了。于是，叶芝就自己为这首民谣填上了词，并命名为An Old Song Re-Sung（旧歌新唱）。这首歌传唱开后，名称就被定为歌词的第一句--Down by the Sally Gardens。 1909年，爱尔兰音乐家Herbert Hughes将曲调重新改编。
３、语言、意境
这首诗貌似简单、语言质朴，但却向人们揭示了生活的哲理：对待爱情和生活，人们应当顺其自然，就像“绿叶长在树枝上”，“青草长在河堰上”。不然，会因为一时的“愚蠢”而遗恨终生。
诗人使用的都是常用词，只有“salley”也许不那么常见，在风雨中纤细的柳枝摇摆不定，这恰恰与人们在悲伤的风雨中无助的境况相似。另外。诗中使用重复的手法来烘托诗的主题：失落的爱。这种重复不仅是词语的重复（如 young and foolish），而且是句式的重复，第二节与第一节的句法大致相同。这首诗在时态的运用上也有独特之处。全诗除了最后半行用现在时以外都是用过去时态。这说明过去对人们的现在具有十分重要的意义。在诗每节的结尾，人用一般现在时，以次来表现自己未能接受情人的劝告而悔恨万分。
４、Sally Gardens
诗中的这个SallyGardens是位于斯莱戈的一条小河岸边。河岸边的居民砍下柳树枝来建造屋顶，而这些柳树在当地被称为Sallow(同英文中的Willow)。因此，这个地方就被人称作Sally Gardens，意思是柳树园。（是不是以后旅行又有了新的目标地？！）
５、诗的不同译本
翻译一：
Down by thesalley gardens my love and I did meet;
在莎莉花园深处，吾爱与我曾经相遇。
She passedthe salley gardens with little snow-white feet.
她雪花般的纤足，向着花园尽头走去。
She bid metake love easy, as the leaves grow on the tree;
她嘱我爱得简单，如枝上萌发的新绿。
But I, beingyoung and foolish, with her did not agree.
但当年年少无知，不愿接受她的心语。
In a field bythe river my love and I did stand,
在远方河畔旷野，吾爱与我并肩伫立。
And on myleaning shoulder she laid her snow-white hand.
在我微倾的肩上，她搭起纯白的手臂。
She bid metake life easy, as the grass grows on the weirs;
她嘱我活得淡然，像青草滋长于岸堤。
But I wasyoung and foolish, and now I am full of tears.
但当年年少无知，如今早已泪满衣裳 。
翻译二:
Down by the Salley Gardens my love and I did meet
我曾和我的挚爱相遇在莎园中
She passed the Salley Gardens with little snow-white feet
她踏著雪白的纤纤玉足，轻轻走过莎园
She bid me take love easy as the leaves grow on the tree
她要我简单的追求真爱，就像大树长出树叶一般自然
But I being young and foolish with her would not agree
但我是那么的年轻愚笨，从来没有听从过她的心声
In a field by the river my love and I did stand
我曾和我的挚爱并肩伫立在河畔的旷野上
And on my leaning shoulder she laid her snow-white hand
她把她嫩白的小手，搭在我那微微倾斜的肩膀上
She bid me take life easy as the grass grows on the weirs
她要我简单的去生活，就像那生长在河畔的韧草一般
But I was young and foolish and now am full of tears
但我是那么的年轻愚笨,现在唯有泪水涟涟，感怀满襟
翻译三:
Down by the Salley Gardens my love and I did meet
在那莎莉公园深处，吾与吾爱曾经相遇
She passed the Salley Gardens with little snow-white feet
她的步伐轻盈胜雪，飘飘然于园中穿越
She bid me take love easy as the leaves grow on the tree
她说愿我爱得简单，就像树枝发出新叶
But I being young and foolish with her would not agree
当年的我如此稚嫩，对她心愿不以为然
In a field by the river my love and I did stand
还有那河畔的田野，吾与吾爱也曾驻足
And on myleaning shoulder she laid her snow-white hand
在我斜肩上搭着的，是她那纤纤的素手
She bid metake life easy as the grass grows on the weirs
她说愿我活得自在，就像河堤青草盎然
But I wasyoung and foolish and now am full of tears
那时的我如此稚嫩，以至今日泪水涟涟
翻译四:
Down by the salley gardens my love and I did meet;
斯遇佳人，仙苑重深
She passed the salley gardens with little snow-white feet.
玉人雪趾，往渡穿林
She bid me take love easy, as the leaves grow on the tree;
瞩我适爱，如叶逢春
But I, being young and foolish, with her would not agree.
我愚且顽，负此明言
In a field by the river my love and I did stand,
斯水之畔，与彼曾伫
And on my leaning shoulder she laid her snow-white hand.
比肩之处，玉手曾拂
She bid me take life easy, as the grass grows on the weirs;
嘱我适世，如荇随堰
But I was young and foolish, and now I am full of tears.
惜我愚顽，唯余泣叹
６、歌的不同版本
歌的意境不必用文字来描述，也不应该用文字来描述。据说这首Down by theSalley Garderns曾被十八位歌手演绎过，被演绎成不同风格的音乐和歌曲，听起来，有不同的味道。在此就是一一列举了，当然，本人最喜欢的还是藤田惠美Emi Fujita。天籁般嗓音迷，歌声就有如温暖的泉源般，可以感动每一个细胞，日本歌手很少有英文发音这么好的，纯朴、性感，能抓住人的心。
