《但是你沒有》的作者是一位普通的美國婦女，她的丈夫在女兒4歲時應征入伍去了越南戰場，從此她便和女兒相依為命。后來，她的丈夫、孩子的爸爸不幸陣亡。她終身守寡，直至年老病逝。她的女兒在整理遺物時發現了母親當年寫給父親的這首詩，題目就是《但是你沒有》。

Remember the day I borrowed your brand

new car and dented it?

I thought you'd kill me, but you didn't.

記得那天，我借用你的新車，我撞凹了它

我以為你一定會殺了我的

但是你沒有

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.

記得那天，我拖你去海灘，而它真如你所說的下了雨

我以為你會說“我告訴過你”

但是你沒有

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.

記得那天，我和所有的男人調情好讓你嫉妒，而你真的嫉妒了

我以為你一定會離開我

但是你沒有

Do you remember the time I spilled strawberry pie

all over your car rug?

I thought you'd hit me, but you didn't.

記得那天，我在你的新地毯上吐了滿地的草莓餅

我以為你一定會厭惡我的

但是你沒有

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.

記得那天，我忘了告訴你那個舞會是要穿禮服的，而你卻穿了牛仔褲

我以為你一定要拋棄我了

但是你沒有

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，有許多的事你都沒有做，而你容忍我鐘愛我保護我

有許多許多的事情我要回報你，等你從越南回來

但是你沒有