沒有擁抱的葬禮 Funeral without Embrace

(English translation below)

你看天空的飛鳥

不撒種、不收割、也不在倉庫裡積蓄

在遍滿黃花的山丘，恣意鳴叫

她們是早春的報喜者

暗夜裡的守望

樹梢的枯枝尚未

綻吐嫩芽

在送別死亡的同時

早已孕育了後代；

天父尚且養活他們。

陳舊的風琴在空蕩的會堂裡

觸摸每一張空虛的座椅

木條靜靜顫慄

塵埃在窗光下舞動

二戰的炮火聲曾透過同一片彩繪玻璃

在石板地上

刻劃年代的驚惶；

天父尚且養活他們。

經歷過貧窮、哀慟

更不乏喜樂的年歲

在遍滿鮮花的燭台前

僅用清簡、平實的言語

道盡

無限的想念

生命是一場盛宴

時而耀眼如光

時而炙熱如火

但她轉瞬即逝，不見蹤影

只留下一只姓名

與會者孤獨前來

隻身離去

各自擁抱過於龐大的

空虛與記憶

無限的永恆隆隆作響

也許我們正在彼方

舉杯為生命歡慶

不要為明天憂慮

不要惦記死亡

擁抱親吻的不合時宜

等待的是復活後的盼望

天父尚且養活他們。

在黝暗的時代

殘疾的年歲裡

懷抱那稚小的

如同珍寶

不要為明天憂慮

不要惦記傷痛

此刻的日光將留存到永恆

我們是客旅、是寄居的

長久地在異地

尋找歸鄉。

---

馬太福音六章25－34節。

紀念一位我曾遇過、善於擁抱、在2020年辭世的長者。

本文亦載於【校園雜誌雙月刊2020年5/6月號】

The Funeral without Embrace

Look at the birds of the air

They do not sow, or reap, or store away in barns

Singing freely in the hills covered by numerous daisies

They announced joys in the early spring

The watch at nights

Oak branches yet to sprout

Their off springs cuddled in nest

While saying good-bye to death;

Yet the heavenly Father feeds them.

In the empty hall of chapel

The music of the organ brushed every lonely chair

Wooden benches trembled in silence

Beneath the stained glasses danced the dusts

It was through the same window

The burst of bombardment from the second would war came through

Upon the slab stone

The fear of the era was carved;

Yet the heavenly Father feeds them.

Poverty and sorrow they have been through

They are not running out of the years of joy

In front of the altar covered by candles and flowers

The guests came forward

In simple, humble words

With great and endless remembrance.

Life is a feast

Sometimes glamorous as lights

Sometimes burning as fire

But it goes away in a sudden

Without leaving a trace

Only a name

The visitors came alone

Left without companions

They each embraced memories and emptiness

Too heavy than they could have borne

The endless eternity is so loud that we could hear

Perhaps right now, on the other side

We are toasting for life.

Do not worry about tomorrow

Do not remember death

Kissing and hugging are inappropriate

For now, awaiting the hope after resurrection

The heavenly Father feeds them

In time of darkness

In age of disability

The weak and small are held dear

Like a priceless treasure

Do not worry about tomorrow

Do not remember sorrow

The daylight of today will be kept to eternity

We are the foreigners, the exiles

Long in a distanced place

Longing for returning home.

This poem was also published on bi-monthly magazine by Campus bi-monthly magazine (May-June 2020).