Oriole Songs (2) by Kong Shiu Loon
Deep at Night
Life and Death
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小公雞,大紅帽 Little Rooster, Big Red Hat
小公雞 Little rooster
懂禮貎 Polite always he appears
見了太陽叫聲好 Saying hello to the morning sun
太陽公公笑呵呵 Father sun laughs happily singing ho ho ho
送牠一頂大紅帽 Giving him a big red hat to behold
採蘑菇 Gathering Mushrooms
黑兔和白兔 Rabbit black and rabbit white
上山採蘑菇 Gathering mushrooms on hills high
小猴和小鹿 Little monkey and small deer
一起來幫助 Joining in to help and to care
猴和兔,鹿和兔 Rabbit and monkey, deer and rabbit
高高興興採蘑菇 Happily they gather mushrooms bit by bit
莫言不出偶然
(The Power of Literature)
前言
北京中央電台於第一時間廣播莫言獲得今年諾貝爾文學獎的頭號消息,內子反應敏銳地說,〝這事一定事先得到黨准許。〞,我用微秒心思一想,這也的確不是偶然,因電台凸出兩點:
一、這是第一位中國人獲得這項榮殊,(暗指高行健早已入了法國國藉)
二、這是中國文學界的勝利,(就好像莫言是〝集體〞的一分子。)還拖了一條尾巴,甚麽〝顯示中國國力强大〞之類的不相干的話兒。
我想到寫這篇簡文,並且在本博客內登出。一來因為有所感,二是因為在此可以自由上載。假如我希望發揮大〝影響力〞,就必需多做〝公關工作〞,向香港傳媒請求刋登了。那兒報紙或期刋的空間有〝寸金〞之價,不是隨便可求的。
這樣,我亦乘此之便,說明這個〝華仁之家〞的窗口是多麽值得寶貴,我對義務管理它的許多〝師弟〞們的衷心感激。
亦有偶然的事。大熱新聞出鏡之前兩天,我收到也在本博客登文的陳柏齡師弟的信,提及他讚賞中國當代三位great writers,首名便是莫言。這也說明,華仁之家的確充滿〝醒目〞之人。
长洪斗落生跳波 轻舟南下如投梭 水师绝叫凫雁起 乱石一线争磋磨
有如兔走鹰隼落 骏马下注千丈坡 断弦离柱箭脱手 飞电过隙珠翻荷
四山眩转风掠耳 但见流沫生千涡 险中得乐虽一快 何异水伯夸秋河
我生乘化日夜逝 坐觉一念逾新罗 纷纷争夺醉梦里 岂信荆棘埋铜驼
觉来俯仰失千劫 回视此水殊委蛇 君看岸边苍石上 古来篙眼如蜂窠
但应此心无所住 造物虽驶如余何 回船上马各归去 多言哓哓师所呵
Hundred Pace Rapids__Su Shi (1037-1101) 江紹倫譯
Waves leap stirred up by the long rapids steeply fall
On the river a skiff glides southward like a shooting ball
Water birds take fright startled by boatmen calls
Through scattered rocks it sails straight forward evermore
Like darting hares and wing-spread eagles sour
Like wild horses race downhill its slope freely fall
Like a lute string snaps and an arrow out of the bow
Lightning cleaves the sky and raindrops on lotus leaves roll Continue reading
[《送蓬仙兄返裡有感》三首詩,作於一九一六年初,以“飛飛”的筆名發表於《敬業》第四期上。詩題中的“蓬仙兄”,是周恩來的同學好友張蓬仙,東北吉林人。 他在一九一三年秋和周恩來同時考進天津南開學校,是“敬業樂群會”的三個發起人之一,並任會長。 週任副會長兼《敬業》主編。 他由東北老家去日本後一年,周恩來也去了日本,常有交往。 “九·一八”前後,張蓬仙貧病交加,死於北京。]
[ 張皞如《傷時事原韻》原詩:
太平希望付煙雲,誤國人才何足雲;
孤客天涯空涕淚,傷心最怕讀新聞。
《次皞如夫子傷時事原韻》,是周恩來為反對張勛復辟而寫的重要作品。 一九一六年,袁世凱死後,張勛為了打擊孫中山先生領導的民主革命,處心積慮,勾結各地軍閥,在徐州訂立臭名昭著的北洋七省軍事攻守同盟,妄圖復辟封建帝制。 “皞如夫子”,即張皞如先生。 他當時是天津市南開學校的教師,有愛國民主思想,支持學生的進步活動,曾應“敬業樂群會”的邀請,欣然加入該會的詩團。 當他從報紙上看到軍閥徐州會盟的消息時,十分氣憤,疾書《傷時事》一詩。 周恩來讀後,當即步韻奉和一首,一同發表在《敬業》第五期上。
周恩來和詩,從軍閥重開戰的風雲突變寫起,明確地指出,由反動軍閥所造成的“舉國昏沉”的黑暗局面,是不足道的,表現出敢於蔑視強暴和立志變革現實的革命精神。 後兩句,以草木搖落的秋天和淒切哀婉的蟲鳴作為像徵,暗示了封建軍閥張勛之輩復辟倒退的喧囂,正如秋蟲一樣,不過是死前的悲鳴而已。
--引自周秉德《周恩來詩聯集箋注》序 ]
Winds and clouds whirl over our motherland violent
Need it be said that our countrymen are dozy and indolent
The biggest torment is that autumn is again here
Whence noisy insects their chirrs pierce the ear
Teacher by Kong Shiu Loon
Those were years of social transition
When teaching was still an admired profession
Young men and women saw it as a lifelong career
Helping children grow and thrive was a challenging frontier
I watched Ms Ho handling a pupil sent to her for disciplining
He had wronged a classmate with swearing and spitting
Ms Ho asked and patiently listened to the pupil his story
He showed defiance and elegance telling her not to worry
It was a long counseling session lasting for half an hour
In the end the pupil recognized his wrongs with tears and a deep bow
Ms Ho was in charge of disciplining pupils other teachers could not handle
Soft-spoken and sincere she approached them to win their hearts almost in total
Teaching to impart knowledge is one easy job
To help children see themselves and to be free and good is another job
Children of the computer age require not information from books
They must learn to know self and others to develop perspective outlooks
I remember Ms Ho handling eight or nine difficult pupils every week
There were times when she and pupil came to terms together weeped
I asked once why she had accepted such nervy tasks so willingly
She said giving herself to teaching came only naturally
[Before the 1997, Teachers’ Day 教師節 was on September 28. After the handover to the People’s Republic of China, the day was changed to September 10, which is when the PRC celebrates the holiday — Wikipedia]
My mother told me when I was nine
Life is fair and fine within Buddha’s sight
You must be diligent and you must try
You are your own Buddha in life
The moon is the Buddha I learned at night
She always shines to keep the dark world bright
To give those who seek wisdom and peace of mind
A renewing respite after continuing strive
Quietly she guides
To give all followers directions and delight
She is always right
Because in you she resides
My mother is now gone
But the wisdom she had left behind
Is forever in me shone my guide
She is my Buddha and moon lifelong
無情未必真豪傑
憐子如何不丈夫
知否興風狂嘯者
回眸時看小於菟
Reply to a Friend in Irony (1931)
Apathetic men may not be true heroes
Affection for one’s young are many so natural
Observe the fierce tigers who frightened everyone with windy roars
They cast loving glances at their cubs as they go forth
扶桑正是秋光好
楓葉如丹照嫩寒
卻折垂楊送歸客
心隨東棹憶華年
Seeing Hiloshi Masuda Home to Japan (1931)
Autumn tints are splendid in old Fusang
Bright red maple leaves bring gentle cold along
I break a willow twig to bid you farewell
My heart sails with you to recall my youthful days happy and well