詩人正在觀賞由文藝復興時期的大師繪畫關於耶穌誕生和殉道的畫作。字裏行間，不難發現詩人認同大師的看法：世間苦難是必然，人類是何其渺小，就算上帝要化成肉身拯救人類世界，祂自己也沒有例外，也要面對苦難，所以人類也該要明白自己作為人類的位置，苦難是不能避免。畫作當中呈現的是，就算耶穌將要來到人間，每個人對這個奇蹟的誕生抱著截然不同的態度；代表著智慧的老人家熱熾盼待耶穌的誕生，有些人仍在做著日常平凡生活的事情，代表著無知的小朋友也是在嬉戲玩樂，沒有為此特別高興雀躍。面對耶穌的受難死亡，他們更清楚這苦難其實在世界某角落必然發生，動物也仍在繼續他們被奴役的生活。

其中一幅的代表作是 Breughel的Icarus。Icarus在希臘神話象徵野心和不自量力，最終自討苦吃。人類和動物彷彿深明Icarus失敗受苦的原因，對他的苦難置若罔聞，繼續他們現在和明天的生活。

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Musée des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden

About suffering they were never wrong,
The Old Masters: how well they understood
Its human position; how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a window or just
walking dully along;
How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting
For the miraculous birth, there always must be
Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating
On a pond at the edge of the wood:
They never forgot
That even the dreadful martydom must run its course
Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot
Where the dogs go on with their doggy
life and the torturer’s horse
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.

In Breughel’s Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away
Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may
Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,
But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone
As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green
Water; and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen
Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,
had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.

詩人對著古希臘式的甕展開一場獨白及發問，望著圍繞甕上雕刻的有關神或人，男或女，追逐或逃避的古老故事沉思。這個甕好像一位歷史學家，在寧靜和慢慢流逝的時間當中訴說著一個比詩歌更甜美華麗的故事。

詩人首先在甕上看見一位純潔完美的新娘靜候出嫁，笛聲悠揚，樹葉正茂，甕上的雕刻給此時此刻定格了，令詩人歌頌這對新人的青春永遠存在，笛聲還有未奏完的樂曲，樹木永遠茂盛，可是這對戀人永遠無法接吻，不過，新娘的純潔完美永遠存在，而新郎的愛情永恆不朽，這個不會逝去的春天、不休止的奏樂，快樂的愛情，令人享受著永遠年輕和溫暖的時光，超越世間容易令人過熱和失落的愛慾。

接著發生的是一位牧師領著一隻小母牛到祭壇上準備獻牲，城内及街上的人全部跟著走到城外，城裏突然變為寂靜凋零，這畫面令詩人感觸一代又一代的凡人過去，再沒有人去講和聽這個故事，唯有這個甕永遠長存，向人類述說著不老的故事。

甕代表著藝術品，它記錄了/固定了當下的時刻，即是永恆的真理，而美就是這真理。雖然藝術品的確不像凡人或時間那樣流動，就好像那個永遠沒有接上的吻，但是藝術品的可貴之處就是它有別於凡夫俗子，它本身就是永恆不變的體現，而美就在此。如甕一樣，這首詩歌也是藝術品，其美永垂不朽。

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Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats

Thou still unravish’d bride of quietness,

       Thou foster-child of silence and slow time,

Sylvan historian, who canst thus express

       A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:

What leaf-fring’d legend haunts about thy shape

       Of deities or mortals, or of both,

               In Tempe or the dales of Arcady?

       What men or gods are these? What maidens loth?

What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape?

               What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?

Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard

       Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;

Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear’d,

       Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone:

Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave

       Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare;

               Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss,

Though winning near the goal yet, do not grieve;

       She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss,

               For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!

Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed

         Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;

And, happy melodist, unwearied,

         For ever piping songs for ever new;

More happy love! more happy, happy love!

         For ever warm and still to be enjoy’d,

                For ever panting, and for ever young;

All breathing human passion far above,

         That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy’d,

                A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.

Who are these coming to the sacrifice?

         To what green altar, O mysterious priest,

Lead’st thou that heifer lowing at the skies,

         And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?

What little town by river or sea shore,

         Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel,

                Is emptied of this folk, this pious morn?

And, little town, thy streets for evermore

         Will silent be; and not a soul to tell

                Why thou art desolate, can e’er return.

O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede

         Of marble men and maidens overwrought,

With forest branches and the trodden weed;

         Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought

As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral!

         When old age shall this generation waste,

                Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe

Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say’st,

         “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all

                Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”

在這首詩裏，詩人以廚房餐桌作為「延伸隱喻」（extended metaphor）貫穿整首詩，象徵著人生的種種階段及經歷，由出生、成長、少年人做夢、成年人追夢，到學習做人、面對戰爭和苦難，回憶往事，人生的悲喜交集，親人的出生及離世，甚至到最後的死亡。與此同時，詩人透過廚房餐桌這個隱喻代表著家庭/鄰舎/群體的關係，大家一起經歷/分享人生的點點滴滴，彼此的故事潤澤著彼此的生命。雖然笑中有淚，但卻仍能以感恩作為人生的總結。

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開首詩人以直述句指出，世界誕生於廚房餐桌，因為人類始於飲食，不論如何；自創世以來，大地的禮物（意即食物）給帶到餐桌上，令生命得以延續，所以生命亦圍繞著餐桌發生：

我們在餐桌旁追趕母雞或狗隻離開餐桌；嬰孩在餐桌角落長牙及搔癢他們的膝蓋。這個圖畫喻意生命的誕生及長大。如此同時，成人於餐桌給予小朋友教導，指導他們如何成長及做人；在餐桌這個地方，我們建立塑造男人和女人。

我們坐在餐桌說閑話，憶起敵人和情人的鬼魅。

我們少年的夢想好像喝咖啡般，有點苦的味道；夢想嘲笑著我們嘗試實踐夢想的失敗和沮喪，直到我們再次振作起來。

這張餐桌如同為我們遮風擋雨的屋企，又是讓我們能夠享受溫暖陽光的傘子。

戰爭亦於這張餐桌開始和結束；當戰爭的可怕來臨時，餐桌給我們躲避隱藏的地方；亦是慶祝慘烈勝利的地方。

我們在這張餐桌為到小生命的到來而高興唱歌，亦為到父母的喪葬而悲傷；我們為著苦難和懊悔禱告，亦獻上感恩。

當我們笑著哭著吃下最後一口飯，世界可能就在餐桌這個地方結束。

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Perhaps the World Ends Here by Joy Harjo

The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat to live.

The gifts of earth are brought and prepared, set on the table. So it has been since creation, and it will go on.

We chase chickens or dogs away from it. Babies teethe at the corners. They scrape their knees under it.

It is here that children are given instructions on what it means to be human. We make men at it, we make women.

At this table we gossip, recall enemies and the ghosts of lovers.

Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our children. They laugh with us at our poor falling-down selves and as we put ourselves back together once again at the table.

This table has been a house in the rain, an umbrella in the sun.

Wars have begun and ended at this table. It is a place to hide in the shadow of terror. A place to celebrate the terrible victory.

We have given birth on this table, and have prepared our parents for burial here.

At this table we sing with joy, with sorrow. We pray of suffering and remorse. We give thanks.

Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying, eating of the last sweet bite.

我很喜歡這首詩，因為它確切地表達我在中學時期和職場生涯的經歷和感受，那種叫人如同死亡的苦難，簡言之，即是活著卻不能說話的靈魂，是多麼可怕。經歷苦難後的生命得著重生和超升，我可以再次說話了，並且找到了屬於自己的聲音，整個人好像活水泉源一樣擁有無限的生命力。

整首詩作者是以花的第一身視角作為視點及作為隱喻，以花所經歷的季節性死亡/轉化/重生比喻人類在苦難中所經歷的死亡/轉化/重生。

作者說她在自身苦難的盡頭看見一扇門。這代表著在黑暗和苦難的盡頭，作者看見出路。

然後，作者說她記得並具體形容經歷死亡的感覺，就好像當你還有意識的時候被埋葬在泥土裡頭，這樣窒息的活著是多麼可怕。作者繼續在下一段落描繪死亡的狀態 — 一個不能說話的靈魂。

然後，一切過去了，作者所懼怕的情況（即是作為一個不能說話的靈魂）突然終止；僵硬的泥土鬆開了點，而作者看到鳥兒俯衝在灌木叢中。作者指出死亡的狀態突然結束，換來的是下一刻破土而出的幼苗，這代表著重生；而鳥兒亦象徵著自由的生命。作者告訴那些忘記了曾經從另一個世界回來的人，我相信作者是指那些曾經從死亡國度回來得著重生的人，她現在可以再次說話了，她找到了屬於自己的聲音。可見一個能夠說話的靈魂是一個活潑生命的明證。作者得著重生後的生命充滿澎湃的活力和巨大的生命力，她比喻為從她生命的中心出現一道偉大的水泉，深藍的影子映照在蔚藍的海水上。這幅圖畫象徵著歷經如同死亡似的苦難後得著重生的生命是如此偉大、壯闊和美麗。

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The Wild Iris by Louise Glück

At the end of my suffering
there was a door.

Hear me out: that which you call death
I remember.

Overhead, noises, branches of the pine shifting.
Then nothing. The weak sun
flickered over the dry surface.

It is terrible to survive
as consciousness
buried in the dark earth.

Then it was over: that which you fear, being
a soul and unable
to speak, ending abruptly, the stiff earth
bending a little.  And what I took to be
birds darting in low shrubs.

You who do not remember
passage from the other world
I tell you I could speak again: whatever
returns from oblivion returns
to find a voice:

from the center of my life came
a great fountain, deep blue
shadows on azure sea water.

這首詩叫人不要溫和地接受死亡，而是要熱烈地抵抗死亡和黑暗的來臨。

智者雖然知道死亡終必來臨，他們更想把握剩餘的時間，立意要說亮話啟發人心。

好人在他們的晚年痛悔自己壯年時沒有做美事好事，他們更想趁著晚年，做一些鼓舞人心的快事。

追求光明的瘋狂份子，驚覺時間的快逝，剩下不多的時間追夢，卻不願默默接受死亡的來臨。

認真的人，在面對死亡的臨近時，他們的視力雖然衰退，可是他們的眼睛卻發出永恒的閃爍光輝，抵抗黑暗和死亡的降臨。

最後，這首詩再次勉勵大家「願我在悲傷之餘不會溫和地接受死亡，卻立志抵抗黑暗的到來」。

有趣的是，之前為了預備DSE的英國文學課而閱讀這首詩，當時看不出甚麼，也沒有特別感動。可是，今早清晨黎明時分，不經意再看到這首詩，當下很有感覺。我想，看詩也需要適合的時間和空間，才能體會詩的味道，就好像在夜闌人靜時分，才能品嚐紅酒的香醇一樣。

我很喜歡這首詩，結構工整且意境豐富，鼓勵人到中年的我要珍惜光陰，把握時間和機會做自己喜歡的事情，免得死亡來到時才後悔沒有追夢。現在的我沒有閒暇專心閱讀和寫作，我希望往後我能夠專心細閱珍．奧斯汀的文學作品及其他喜愛的文學作品，然後與別人（特別是少年人/青年人）分享自己的體會。若果上帝許可的話，我還有很多事情想去做，例如：寫詩、教英文、分享信仰、在教會事奉等等。

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Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

意譯：我坐在酒店房裏窗邊的椅子看雨。我曾經戀愛，好像一場夢或在半意識的狀態下，但現在我不需要任何東西，看似不需要去觸摸你，再見你了。我只想說：這房間，這張櫈，一小時又一小時的下雨聲，在溫暖的春天晚上，我不再需要甚麼，我完全滿足，我的心變得很小，只需要少少就可以填滿。我看著滂沱大雨在漆黑的城市中落下，你不再在我的生命中了。我在日間做平常的事，我釋放了自己，但我活像一個夢遊的人。一切已經足夠了，你不再牽涉在我的生命；在陌生的城市待了幾天，一個對話，然後我脫下介指。如此赤裸裸、坦蕩蕩，就是我所想的。

讀後感：作者努力地想擺脫一段婚姻/感情，她嘗試感受著周圍空間的物件和環境，體會生命中還有足夠美好的東西。她三番四次地說服自己很滿足於當下，不需要戀人在身旁，可以重新過新生活/做平常的事情，坦蕩蕩地面對一場婚姻/感情的結束。詩以愛神為題，提示作者抱持對生命的熱愛和活著的慾望，看來作者也甚積極。

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Eros by Louise Glück

I had drawn my chair to the hotel window, to watch the rain.

I was in a kind of dream, or trance —
in love, and yet
I wanted nothing.

It seemed unnecessary to touch you, to see you again.
I wanted only this:
the room, the chair, the sound of the rain falling,
hour after hour, in the warmth of the spring night.

I needed nothing more; I was utterly sated.
My heart had become very small; it took very little to fill it.
I watched the rain falling in heavy sheets over the darkened city —

You were not concerned. I did the things
one does in daylight, I acquitted myself,
but I moved like a sleepwalker.

It was enough and it no longer involved you.
A few days in a strange city.
A conversation, the touch of a hand.
And afterward, I took off my wedding ring.

That was what I wanted: to be naked.

意譯：作者現在11月份的巴黎。報章報導攝氏38度，好像不大友善的天氣。聚集在巴黎的馬德琳一帶的賣花者，嚴謹地嗅著陳舊的玫瑰花，假裝這些玫瑰花沒有多大問題，不會影響日後的銷售。作者見到這一幕，想起了上星期應該是她和Stephen已在一起21周年。她的情感也變得柔軟。其實他們現在應該已經結婚了。作者仍然有一些屬於他們的瓷器，不過有些已經破爛了。但是，在這數月裏，第一次想起Stephen是今晚拿起叉子說著她有多喜愛紐約的時候。

讀後感：作者與Stephen的戀人關係好像那陳舊的玫瑰花，他們假裝看不見關係中的問題，好像那破爛的瓷器一樣，都不知道怎樣補救。作者懷念著他們在紐約那些一起的日子。

2020諾貝爾文學獎得主Louise Glück的文字簡潔，意象新穎，用字精準，這是一首很美的詩歌。

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Anniversary by Louise Glück (April 1966)

Well, November’s hit Paris again.

The Times records a mean temperature

Of thirty-eight. Bunched about the Madeleine,

Flower sellers ostrich the future

With their noses rigorously immersed

In stale roses. Or so I remember.

Incredibly, it was the twenty-first

Last week. And my affections turned out limber

After all: oh Stephen, we’d have been

Married now. I’ve still got our

China, some broken, and some linen

But the first I’ve really thought of you for

Months was just tonight when with my fork

Suspended I was saying how I loved New York.

The good gray guardians of art
Patrol the halls on spongy shoes,
Impartially protective, though
Perhaps suspicious of Toulouse.

Here dozes one against the wall,
Disposed upon a funeral chair.
A Degas dancer pirouettes
Upon the parting of his hair.

See how she spins! The grace is there,
But strain as well is plain to see.
Degas loved the two together:
Beauty joined to energy.

Edgar Degas purchased once
A fine El Greco, which he kept
Against the wall beside his bed
To hang his pants on while he slept.

In the art world, different people (even those who claim they are artists) treat art with different attitude. Guardian is suspicious of Toulouse; another dozes upon Degas dancer; Degas despises El Greco. They have different perspectives and interpretations about art and adopt different attitude towards it (i.e. See how Degas hangs his pants on El Greco!)

If you ask me ‘What’s new?’, I have nothing to say
Except that the garden is growing.
I had a slight cold but it’s better today.
I’m content with the way things are going.
Yes, he is the same as he usually is,
Still eating and sleeping and snoring.
I get on with my work. He gets on with his.
I know this is all very boring.

There was drama enough in my turbulent past:
Tears and passion – I’ve used up a tankful.
No news is good news, and long may it last.
If nothing much happens, I’m thankful.
A happier cabbage you never did see,
My vegetable spirits are soaring.
If you’re after excitement, steer well clear of me.
I want to go on being boring.

I don’t go to parties. Well, what are they for,
If you don’t need to find a new lover?
You drink and you listen and drink a bit more
And you take the next day to recover.
Someone to stay home with was all my desire
And, now that I’ve found a safe mooring,
I’ve just one ambition in life: I aspire
To go on and on being boring.

The line “There was drama enough in my turbulent past” is so true. After tears and passion in pursuit of a “normal” life, I would rather be a boring cabbage living an ordinary and quiet life under a safe roof. Excitement would carry me a little too far from what I want. I am content that we are still living, eating, sleeping, working and making love in our small little world.

Let’s sort this out. Make no more sherry
scones for the man that stole my jewels
and I’ll stop spitting in your sherry.
Both of us have been fools.

Here, you can have my rope and pins
if you give up your hooks and nails
and we’ll agree to wear wide grins
for subsequent betrayals.

Even a bond as firm as this
friendship cannot withstand attacks
if they are too direct; let’s hiss
behind each other’s backs.

In future, when I tread thick oil
into your house, I’ll hide my feet,
and if you have to be disloyal
please try to be discreet.

I think this poem is about disloyalty and betrayal, in terms of sexual relations, between lovers. The lovers are angry about each other’s betrayal behind each other’s back and are ready to enter a fight. The poet said next time if it happens again, she would love their behaviour to be more polite and less harmful towards each other.