《但是你没有》的作者据说是一位普通的美国妇女,她的丈夫在女儿4岁时应征入伍去了越南战场,从此她便和女儿相依为命。后来,她的丈夫、孩子的父亲不幸阵亡。她终身守寡,直至年老病逝。她的女儿在整理遗物时发现了母亲当年写给父亲的这首诗,题目就是《但是你没有》。
Remember the day
I borrowed your brand new car
and dented it?
I thought you'd kill me,
but you didn't.
记得那天,
我借用你的新车,
我撞凹了它。
我以为你一定会杀了我的,
但是你没有。
And remember the time
I dragged you to the beach,
and you said it would rain,
and it did?
I thought you'd say, "I told you so" ,
but you didn't.
记得那天,
我拖你去海滩,
而它真如你所说的下了雨。
我以为你会说“我告诉过你”,
但是你没有
Do you remember the time
I flirted with all the guys to make you jealous,
and you were?
I thought you'd leave, but you didn't.
记得那天,
我和所有的男人调情好让你嫉妒,
而你真的嫉妒了。
我以为你一定会离开我,
但是你没有。
Do you remember the time
I spilled strawberry pie all over your car rug?
I thought you'd hit me, but you didn't.
记得那天,
我在你的新地毯上吐了满地的草莓饼。
我以为你一定会厌恶我的,
但是你没有。
And remember the time
I forgot to tell you the dance was formal
and you showed up in jeans?
I thought you'd drop me,
but you didn't.
记得那天,
我忘了告诉你那个舞会是要穿礼服的,
而你却穿了牛仔裤。
我以为你一定要抛弃我了,
但是你没有。
Yes,
there were lots of things you didn't do.
But you put up with me, and loved me, and protected me.
There were lots of things I wanted to make up to you,
when you returned from Vietnam.
but you didn't.
是的,
有许多的事你都没有做,
而你容忍我、钟爱我、保护我。
有许多许多的事情我要回报你,
等你从越南回来,
但是你没有。
(当她想要弥补对他错失的爱时,他却再也不会回来了。最难过的事不是他不理你,也不是他不爱你,而是他不在了!.....
男主角虽然没有出场,但是读者无时无刻不感受到他的脉脉温情,他好像就站在离她不远的地方,脸上带着笑意,看着她把自己弄得一团糟,然后等她手无足措的时候帮她收拾烂摊子。
当他离开后,她脑海中全部是他的好。
她从一个朝气蓬勃的小姑娘变成一个只有回忆的老太婆,从前她不曾孤单,因为有他在;此后,她不知生命还有多久多漫长。时间似乎凝结在了某处,怎么睡了一觉醒来,还曾经想到最浪漫的事就是和他一起慢慢变老,如今她已经白发苍苍,儿孙满堂,而他被留在了遥远的国度,依旧是年轻的模样…...)