台灣詩學‧吹鼓吹詩論壇

一定有人哭泣
──悼作家张純如

一定有人哭泣
在這樣的黃昏
風從西邊來
雨從西邊來

而她就是忍不住
頭一個哭泣的那個人
對著一堆堆
歷史的白骨
人間的不義與緘默

而她就是一開了頭
便止不住哭泣的那個人
人類的罪惡
冰峰般矗立在她四周
把她籠罩在重重陰影裡
使她窒息

一定有人哭泣
在這樣的黃昏
風從西邊來
雨從西邊來

附注﹕1997年在美國出版《南京大屠殺》一書的華裔作家張純如，因不堪憂鬱症的折磨，於2004年自殺身亡。

SOMEONE MUST BE CRYING
-- for Iris Chang


Someone must be crying
in such an evening
wind coming from the west
rain coming from the west

She was the first one
who could not hold her tears
facing piles and piles
of white bones in history
the injustice the dead silence

She was the one who started crying
and was unable to stop
the evil deeds of humanity
towering around her
like ice mountains
casting the heavy shadows
that eventually choked her

Someone must be crying
in such an evening
wind coming from the west
rain coming from the west

*Iris Chang was a Chinese-American writer who in 1997 published a book entitled, <The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II> telling the story of the murder of more than 250,000 defenseless civilians by the invading Japanese army. She later committed suicide due to severe depression.

The Rape of Nanking was a horrible blight on the history of Japan leading up to World War II. So many innocent civilians were killed, babies were bayoneted, women were raped, and mass executions took place. Little wonder that the author was depressed – it was a rather depressing event to have studied.

Thank you Dr.Marr for capturing the sadness in a poem!

Hope you are enjoying the rest of the summer~

p.s. Sorry for my late response.

marrfei 寫:一定有人哭泣
──悼作家张純如

一定有人哭泣
在這樣的黃昏
風從西邊來
雨從西邊來

而她就是忍不住
頭一個哭泣的那個人
對著一堆堆
歷史的白骨
人間的不義與緘默

而她就是一開了頭
便止不住哭泣的那個人
人類的罪惡
冰峰般矗立在她四周
把她籠罩在重重陰影裡
使她窒息

一定有人哭泣
在這樣的黃昏
風從西邊來
雨從西邊來

附注﹕1997年在美國出版《南京大屠殺》一書的華裔作家張純如，因不堪憂鬱症的折磨，於2004年自殺身亡。

SOMEONE MUST BE CRYING
-- for Iris Chang


Someone must be crying
in such an evening
wind coming from the west
rain coming from the west

She was the first one
who could not hold her tears
facing piles and piles
of white bones in history
the injustice the dead silence

She was the one who started crying
and was unable to stop
the evil deeds of humanity
towering around her
like ice mountains
casting the heavy shadows
that eventually choked her

Someone must be crying
in such an evening
wind coming from the west
rain coming from the west

*Iris Chang was a Chinese-American writer who in 1997 published a book entitled, <The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II> telling the story of the murder of more than 250,000 defenseless civilians by the invading Japanese army. She later committed suicide due to severe depression.

Thank you for your kind response to my poem.