终于,那人挥动铁锤,钉下最后一根钉
太平洋铁路完工通车,一切就盖棺论定了
是哪些人挥汗如雨,忍受烈阳煎煮暴力的?
是那些人咬紧牙关,顶向冰雪严寒封冻的?
是那些人面不改色,穿行风雨晦暗中的?
是哪些人早出晚归,踩崎岖坎坷如平地的?
是哪些人孜孜不倦,铺设枕木和铁轨的?……
工作再工作,坚持再坚持
耐心铲除重重险阻
努力再努力,进展再进展
一点一滴地堆积成果……
终于那人挥动铁锤,钉下最后一根钉
太平洋铁路完工通车,一切就盖棺论定了:
原来是那些家伙
当白皮肤、蓝眼珠的弃之而去
他们肩挑一根扁担,两头吊挂两个箩筐
“两脚夹两粒卵泡”
从老远老远的东方,跋山涉水而来……
他们毫不起眼:
黄皮肤、黑眼珠、黑头发……
注:太平洋铁路为加拿大最长铁路,完工通车时,在东西铁路交会点钉下最后一根钉,以为纪念,现今仍留存,作为观光景点。作者去年游加拿大温哥华、落矶山时,曾于四月十日前往观看。诗中“两脚夹两粒卵泡”为台谚,形容“身无长物”,宜以台语读之。
The Last Nail Hsu ChiCheng
Eventually, that man flings the hammer, to nail down the last nail
When the Pacific Ocean Railway is completed and open to traffic, all is settled
Who are sweating like rain, under tribulation of the scorching sun?
Who are setting the teeth, braving the severe cold of ice and snow?
Who remain calm of complexion, tracking through dark winds and rains?
Who rise early and return late, walking along the rough road like a flat one?
Who are untiring, to lay rails and sleeper?…
Work after work, perseverance and perseverance
With patience to get rid of various difficulties
Efforts after efforts, progress to progress
To accumulate fruits in drops…
Eventually that person fling the hammer, to nail the last nail
When the Pacific Ocean Railway is completed and open to traffic, all is settled:
Originally those fellows
When the fair-skinned and blue-eyes abandon it for good
They carry on shoulder with a pole, two bamboo baskets on two ends
“Two eggs between two feet”
Coming from the remote Orient, crossing mountains and wading waters…
They are no attention getters:
Yellow skin, black eyes, and black hair…
Remark :The Pacific Ocean Railway is the longest railway in Canada; when it is completed and open to traffic, the last nail is nailed down at the intersection of the railways for memory, which is now a scenic for tourism. In last year, I have been to Vancouver and Rocky Mountain, from which I went to see the site. “Two eggs between two feet” in the poem is a Taiwanese proverb which means “to have only bare necessities of life.”