杜牧元在这首诗的每一句下面都做了注解，
the odor from the flower is gone,
which like thy kisses breathed on me;
the color from the flower is flown,
which glowed of thee, and only thee!
a shriveled, lifeless, vat form,
it lies on my abandoned breast,
and mocks the heart, which yet is warm,
with cold and sile.
i weep ---- my tears revive it not;
i sigh ---- it breathes no more on me;
its mute and unpining lot
is such as mine should be.
枯萎、凋谢、残缺……