I shot an arrow in the air, 我向空中射了一箭，
It fell to earth, I knew not where; 它已落到地面，我不知道其去向；
For so swiftly it flew, the sight 因它飛得如此地快速
Could not follow it in its flight. 視力無法跟得上它的飛馳。
I breathed a song into the air, 我向空中輕歌一曲，
It fell to earth, I knew not where; 它已落地而停，我不知其去向；
For who has sight so keen and strong, 誰有這么敏銳的視力，
That it can follow the flight of song? 能跟得上歌聲的飛馳？
Long, long afterward, in an oak 很久，很久以後，在一棵橡樹上，
I found the arrow still unbroke; 我發現它依然完好無損；
And the song, from beginning to end, 而這首歌，從頭到尾，
I found again in the heart of a friend. 我發現又深印在一位友人的心上。
by H. W. Longfellow