Nostalgia seemed a small stamp:

乡愁是一枚小小的邮票，

“Here am I

我在这头，

And there ……my mother.”

母亲在那头。

Then I was a grown-up,

长大后，

Nostalgia became a traveling ticket:

乡愁是一张窄窄的船票，

“Here am I

我在这头，

And there……my bride.”

新娘在那头。

During the later years,

后来啊!

Nostalgia turned to be a graveyard:

乡愁是一方矮矮的坟墓，

“Here am I

我在外头，

And yonder……my mother.”

母亲在里头。

And now at present,

而现在，

Nostalgia looms large to be a channel:

乡愁是一湾浅浅的海峡，

“Here am I

我在这头，

And yonder……my Continent!”

大陆在那头。