面對禽流感

明報即時新聞:「將軍澳一名9個月大的女嬰被證實感染H9N2禽流感,現已康復,……父母曾帶該名女嬰到將軍澳景林街市,而街市亦有活家禽。……」

這麼近,那麼遠,原來禽流感就在我的對面……

I Vow to Thee, My Country

昨晚,在家中看了一陣子大口茱姐姐主演的《Mona Lisa Smile》,在開首不久便唱起了《I Vow to Thee, My Country》這曲子,即時想起了戴妃。不經不覺,今年已是這位短命王妃逝世十周年。她死的時候也不過是三十六歲,跟海牛現年一樣。在CD櫃裡搜尋,拿出她的葬禮之錄音專輯,聽著會眾哀悼著唱起這曲,思想著歌詞,心底裡不禁有點悲從中來。悲,不是為戴妃,乃為香港為中國。戴妃死了十年,香港也回歸了十年,但你能否像這英國人唱的曲子般說出愛國之情?而我們的同胞又何時才能認識那「another country」?

Lyrics: Cecil Spring-Rice
Music: “Jupiter” from Gustav Holst’s Planets Suite

I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above,
Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love;
The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test,
That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best;
The love that never falters, the love that pays the price,
The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.

And there’s another country, I’ve heard of long ago,
Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know;
We may not count her armies, we may not see her King;
Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering;
And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase,
And her ways are ways of gentleness, and all her paths are peace.


(mp3 source: http://hymnary.org/text/i_vow_to_thee_my_country)