City Dawn by Kong Shiu Loon
A single bird calls for chirps to wake
To announce the awaiting day-break
The sky a greenish grey
Tinted with a pastel yellow haze
The park is yet to be occupied
Up high a lone eagle leisurely glides
Suddenly a distant siren interrupts the quiet peace
A possible tragedy in precarious urban existence
This picture was taken at Maryknoll Convent School.
Sr. Jeanne Houlihan who later became Principal of MCS and Fr. Morris from WYK who later left the Jesuit order. The 5th boy from the left could be Richard Tsang Yip Fat or Shiu Sin Por (class of 67).
Could all these be boys from WYK? Would these all be in the 60’s? What’s the occasion? Debating at MCS?
Would appreciate any help to refresh my fading memory. Thank you.
Anthony Ho
金榜題名
前言
小兒子Adam今年申請大學。這事情值得紀錄。
我一輩子，只教兒子, 沒資格教外人. 這是首次嘗試，把自己的經驗和別人分享。 噹有協助兒子申請大學的經驗。現在寫下經歷與心得。希望文章能有些少教育性。或許能夠幫助別人家庭的孩子，申請大學。
It is a windy day
The sky a dark grey
Tree tops on sway
Up the air an eagle glides looking for prey
Ir soars high far and near
Sweeping at lightening speed with no fear
Suddenly it plunges down off my sight
I wish it a catch it might
上場理應無父子 瀟灑從容就戰場 錢財身外何足惜 同門耍樂不為名
同門約局聚香江 麈噹單騎闖廬峰 王寇决於笑談間 成敗不足論英雄
同門約局在香江 攻城大戰陷四方 輸贏勝敗何足懼 衛生麻將亦健康
The Coming of Wisdom with Time
All Things Can Tempt Me
Fallen Majesty
He Tells of the Perfect Beauty
On Being Asked For a War Poem
‘Mong Meadows of Sweet Grain
The Dew Comes Dropping
Wherever in the Wastes
To Some I Have Talked with by the Fire
The Old Men Admiring Themselves In The Water
Click here to read the renditions.
What’s in a name?
This essay is part about English names and naming and part about Pope Francis’ choice of name.
歸嵩山作 王維
清川帶長薄 車馬去閑閑
流水如有意 暮禽相與還
荒城臨古渡 落日滿秋山
迢遞嵩高下 歸來且閉關
Back Home to Mt. Song Wang Wei (701-761) 江紹倫譯
The stream quietly skirts a long stretch of green
Carriages on way to cots of leisurely dins
Limpid waters murmur friendly hints
Homeward birds glide with me in the evening
As the deserted town looks on the vacant pier
The autumn hills washed in sunset colours appear
Beneath the towering Mt.Song the land extent
Home I close my door and wash my hands
斜光照墟落 窮巷牛羊歸
野老念牧童 倚杖候荊扉
雉雊麥苗秀 蠶眠桑葉稀
田夫荷鋤至 相見語依依
即此羨閒逸 悵然吟《式微》
Home at River Wei Wang Wei (701-761) 江紹倫譯
A village bathes in the sun’s slanting ray
Among the lanes homeward cattle find their way
Grandfather looking for the herd boy waits
He leans on a bamboo cane by the gate
Pheasants love to flock in the wheat fields
Where silkworms rest mulberry leaves become few
Hoes on shoulders farm hands proudly show
They meet and chat forgetting to go
For this rustic life I long
Humming my favorite Homily Song
At our last Spring Banquet, I reported news from Wah Yan in Chinese. Somehow, I used the word 缘 a number of times. For my own interest, I asked our wahyanites and guests for the English translation for the term. That started some discussions around the tables.
Three weeks later, during the visitation hours at the funeral of the fathter of a wahyanite, 缘 was again discussed. The English translation of fate and destiny was deemed incomplete. John offers the following which I asked him to send me the email.
Dear Ho Sir,
As discussed, the English language does not have a direct translation of the term 缘 mainly because it is an Eastern philosophy, and Western thoughts do not have the same view of life, or for that matter, afterlife. Continue reading