回到當初 Returning to the Beginning

Mr. & Mrs. Ho with Stephanie in April 2007

...

Wild Camelia -

My elementary school teacher Mr. Ho took me to the hillside to pick flowers when I was a child.

(See English translation below)

(給何湞顯老師)

三馬路的山茶花開了又落
落了又開
数十年來冷眼
看君乘駟馬我披簑
數花開花落
還看當初

自甘與遍野蔓草相依
紅塵盡染的蘭
報歲嵗年年難捨難離
挑燈備課車上假寐
落入一杯酒裡
桃李春風

吹拂四季蘭開
從一個家飄落另一個家,
年年難過又過, 處處無家為家,
吹皺魚池邊上大隱朝市
蘭竹居暗香清遠
未曾自矜

親手送出手栽的花
從一雙手交到另一雙手
托付給不回眸的天空
去國離家…… 一掬抱負
兩行熱淚, 追逐五湖四海的浪花
漸行漸遠

沒入暮靄蒼茫的虛空
溯本追源....
直至天邊鴻濛一點虛白
透見從前....
回到當初, 回到當初三馬路上
那朶不栽而栽, 不教而教,
不顯眼的山茶花



2006 年11月22日, 香港
(小時候常和老師上山採山茶花)

(圖: 山上的山茶花)

Returing to the beginning

(To my elementary school teacher Mr. C.H. Ho)

The camelia by the curb
wilted and bloosomed
Forty years with quiet eyes
To watch others climbing high
And you remain low
To accompany the first flower
while numerous flowers
passed.

The orhid mixes with weeds
enjoys dusts
in the home of wilderness
Annoucing the departure of years
Grading papers at nights
And naps on buses
While plum flowers fall onto a cup of wine
in the breeze

Orchids are awaken in four seasons
turning from one home to another
never a home of its own.
Every year is difficult
Never bother a hermit
lives in metropoli by the fish pond
While fragrance drifted from
orchid and bamboo

Handing out flowers compassionately
one hand to another
a bouquet delivered to the world
never look back.
Away from the motherland
With good wishes to serve
Further and further
With tears pour
Into the four continents and five seas

In the mist a dim light emerged
Beyond the existence of celestial
going back to the origin
A flower by the curb
teaching without word
growing unknowingly
A humble camelia
at the very beginning

(I always picked wild camelia with my elementary school teacher Mr. Ho as a child)

Translated April 10, 2007