The poet is Ms Lim May Lang, an ex-higher Chinese teacher from National Junior College. Though she did not follow the BBC's walk with the group, her poem captures the spirit of life after death, and reflects the same thought some of us have after the walk.
If we are not able to have Bukit Brown Cemetery kept in physical form, many suggested to use modern technology and create the same in virture reality.
In whatever form it maybe, the most important is what one holds in one's heart!
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心中的坟 by Ms Lim May Lang on 2011/12/09 at
http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/yongyala/article?mid=611&next=610&l=d&fid=5
只要曾经点燃
只要曾经照亮他人，
长短并不重要。
坟未必是立体的
也无需有浓荫或香花相伴。
它就是不见形体，
也能永驻心头。
这一生长长短短
曲曲折折的路
走完了的时候
如果还能脸带微笑
如果不再有所期待
就算没留下什么
也就心满意足了。
要做的事不过是
为自己找个清静的地方歇脚
可以在香烟缭绕的寺庙
可以在大树的脚下
可以在浩瀚无边的海洋。
记得或者忘记
一点也不重要
因为那时候
我的记忆早已尘封
而我的知觉
也已经烟消云散了。
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Here is my translated version, embedded with some of my own thought:
Dexterine Ho Soo Miang
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Here is my translated version, embedded with some of my own thought:
Life is like a candle!
As long as the light once illuminated,
Lights the path of others,
Length is not important!
A grave need not be three-dimensional,
Even without shady old trees and prayer flowers,
Even intangible,
It will live in the heart of the beloved, forever!
Life may be long or short,
Journey twists and turns,
When we face the end
If with a gentle smile,
And satisfied with no lingering thought,
We can let go!
When the time comes,
As long as the light once illuminated,
Lights the path of others,
Length is not important!
A grave need not be three-dimensional,
Even without shady old trees and prayer flowers,
Even intangible,
It will live in the heart of the beloved, forever!
Life may be long or short,
Journey twists and turns,
When we face the end
If with a gentle smile,
And satisfied with no lingering thought,
We can let go!
When the time comes,
Find a quiet place and have a good rest
Incense smoke in the temple
At the foot of a big tree
At the foot of a big tree
Or ocean that frees your soul!
Remembered or forgotten
It’s not important!
Memory is like ash to ash, dust to dust!
Perception and consciousness,
Like clouds, once free
Will have no attachment!
Notes: Translation revised on 9 Jan 2012, and I would like to thank my friend, Susan Chua from Heinemann Southeast Asia, for her advices on grammatical etc... Good writing is always re-writing, and good translation, goes the same way! Thanks! Susan!
Remembered or forgotten
It’s not important!
Memory is like ash to ash, dust to dust!
Perception and consciousness,
Like clouds, once free
Will have no attachment!
Notes: Translation revised on 9 Jan 2012, and I would like to thank my friend, Susan Chua from Heinemann Southeast Asia, for her advices on grammatical etc... Good writing is always re-writing, and good translation, goes the same way! Thanks! Susan!
Dexterine Ho Soo Miang
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