今天是美國的感恩節。
每逢此節倍感恩。
除了對父母師長親友天神
國家及家人的感激外，
對我來說更應該感激的
是一位救命恩人。

多年前我曾寫過一首小詩，
也曾在此處普網紀念此人。

今天在此處又行普網，

不希望朋友們費神重讀，

只是想再度表達我感恩之心。

 11/23/2017 

      山高海深情

 (紀念馬連長福壽恩兄）

他救我一觳觫囚虜，
行將被活埋深坑，
再帶我至自由青島，
送我去投親求生。

他係一作客國軍連長，
我係一逃命共軍藥官。
二人是戰敵且素不相識，
他竟求其盟兄放我生還。

內戰將我們隨即分散，
並分別撤居台灣。
他慢慢將我完全忘記，
我苦苦尋其相見。

多年後我才得知其消息，
趕急拜望他於忠貞眷區。
帶者一點寒傖的薄禮，
可是滿心的歡喜感激。

他不以恩公自居，
卻待我情同兄弟！

其時他已改行作理療
並宣揚天德聖教，
我卻轉業作資料蒐集
以研究彈藥武器。

世事何如此轉折變易？
但無損我們間的友誼。

他來美探視其居牛城之愛女，
我在美與小兒於新州同寓；
兩家相會並暢遊名城紐約，
多珍惜也能在海外歡聚。
.

他能飲卻不幸血壓甚高，
嫂夫人又在旁細心照料，
因此我只能饗以佳餚，
卻不能敬以醇醪。

臨別時我甚感抱歉，
好朋友何不酒而散？
故約其病癒再見，
我們定杯底朝天！

那一日我致電其桃園家裡，
得知他入院療惡性肺疾！
那真是個晴天霹靂!
我一時呆若木雞。

但隨即先函電鼓勵：
你經得起考驗與打擊。
小挫折沒甚麼了不起。
你爬得起也站得起!

你會好、能好、必須好!
如此我們才能繼續交好；
淺品低酌並細語長談，
舉杯痛飲而縱情大笑。

但上天要他早日往生，
去救助病靈於彼地。
有情人何罹無情疾!？

臨行前他囑咐其家屬，
不通知任何朋友親戚，
特別是我這個老兄弟。

我中國有句俗話，
可說是合情、適當，
卻也是尖酸、誇張。

「窮秀才送人情，
僅得寥潦數語，
只有薄紙半張。」

如今我送他：
滿紙的熱淚，
滿張的感傷。

以期他常存，

我心人心－
我的後代心!

如山海永在。
與日月同光。

小弟X本，
萬拜謝恩。

英文原詩附後
並請批評指正

 

            High as Mountains Deep as Oceans

   (In Memory of Company Commander Fu-Shou Ma)

He saved me, a trembling captive,

on the verge of would be buried alive;

then sent me to Tsingtao, a city of safety,

to the gate of my aunt’s house for my survival.

He was a visiting nationalist company commander;

I was an escaping communist medical officer.

We were combating enemies, complete strangers;

yet, he saved my life by begging his sworn brother.

Civil war soon split us sorrowfully.

Separately we retreated to live in Taiwan.

Since that time, he forgot me slowly.

I tried persistently to find him for a reunion.

After many long years, finally I found his whereabouts.

Hurriedly I went to visit him with my grateful heart.

But, he didn’t view our relationship as a savior and the saved,

welcomed me as a younger brother: had long departed.

I was then an information searcher for weaponry work.

He became a morality preacher and alternative doctor.

What a drastic change in this dramatic world!

But nothing harmed our friendship as brothers.

He came to Buffalo to visit his daughter.

I came to New Jersey to live with my son.

We met at the great city named New York.

How happily we talked and laughed again!

At that time he suffered from severe hypertension.

My sister-in-law watched him with close attention;

so I could treat him with the best-selected cuisine,

but couldn’t entertain him with the least champagne.

I felt very regretful at our reluctant separation.

Good friends meeting without a good drink!

Therefore, I invited him, “Come back when you get well;

so we can heartily eat, talk – and get ourselves drunk!”

One day, I called his home at Tao-yuan.

He was in hospital for tumors in his lung!

The news shocked me long dumb and numb.

How to help him to overcome such a bad luck?

First, I told him, “Please do not be discouraged.

It’s simply a stumble, solely another stagger.

You always can re-rise; you surely can recover.

We will forever enjoy laughter together.”

But, Heaven wanted him to save sick souls.

A merciful man with a merciless disease!

At his last hour, he told his family,

to inform no one, especially--me.

There is an old saying in China,

which is rather ironic and highly colored,

but very probable and proper.

“A present from a poor scholar

is only some simple and scribbled words

on a half sheet of thin paper.”

Now I present him a whole thick sheet,

full of painfully painted words

and full of pouring tears….

So that his kindness,

as the sun and moon’s brightness,

can be publicly recognized.

His grace to me --

high as mountains, deep as oceans,

shall be forever remembered,

by all my family members --

and later generation descendants.

A very grateful, 

brotherly friend,

Kuo-Pen,

kowtow and incense.