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《詩眠集》精選了詩人羅拔近十五年的雙語詩作,題材涵蓋日常生活、社會新聞、夢境、神話、文學、電影、音樂等等,是作者經過種種人生歷練並反芻後的集大成之作。作者善用中英雙語的「意象」、「音韻」,並以戲謔、幽默的語氣觀照世界的運行。
A year passed like a morning piss
You don't want to face it
And you won't miss it
But you must do it
So just get up, let the rain drop
And make a wish to Niagara Falls
──A New Year's Song
一年如晨尿流逝
不想面對
也不會懷念
終得執行一次
起床了,讓雨落下
朝尼加拉瓜瀑布許個願吧
──〈新年之歌〉
他擅以現實投射意象概念,並以客觀呈現主觀體驗。全書分為兩大部分:第一輯【無眠大地】是作者人生經驗的抽象化,從主觀體驗而來的客觀呈現;第二輯【無夢天堂】是作者從現實描寫中,投射到意識思維的抽象世界,有個人的經歷、想像、思考,亦有更深入的意識抽象化的表達。
A year passed like a morning piss
You don't want to face it
And you won't miss it
But you must do it
So just get up, let the rain drop
And make a wish to Niagara Falls
──A New Year's Song
一年如晨尿流逝
不想面對
也不會懷念
終得執行一次
起床了,讓雨落下
朝尼加拉瓜瀑布許個願吧
──〈新年之歌〉
他擅以現實投射意象概念,並以客觀呈現主觀體驗。全書分為兩大部分:第一輯【無眠大地】是作者人生經驗的抽象化,從主觀體驗而來的客觀呈現;第二輯【無夢天堂】是作者從現實描寫中,投射到意識思維的抽象世界,有個人的經歷、想像、思考,亦有更深入的意識抽象化的表達。
目錄
總序/蘇紹連
推薦序/余學林
推薦序/袁鶴翔
推薦序/綠蒂
自序
Part 1: Land Without Sleep
輯一.無眠大地
Who Steals My Sleep?
誰偷走我的睡眠?
A Personal Statement
個人論點
Crows
鴉
The Murder Ballad
殺戮歌謠
Sashimi
生魚片
Street Cats
野貓
Vow
誓
The White Wine
白酒
Stars
星辰
Salmon: The Migration
鮭魚:遷徙
The Wall
牆
Sister Leaving Home
小妹離家
Gradually
漸
Dream #10
夢境之十
Something/Anything
某些事,任何事
Ann
安
The Abattoir
屠宰場
Losing Weights
減肥
Cake
蛋糕
Hint
暗示
Cooking
下廚
The Small House
小屋
A Drunk Ballad
醉之謠
The Gambler
賭徒
Parting
離
Twins
雙生
A New Year’s Song
新年之歌
Garbage Bag
垃圾袋
Zen
禪說
The Fictional Lover
雲端情人
Gone
逝
The Copyist
臨摹者
Amour
愛慕
The Whistling Kettle
鳴笛水壺
My Babe Monster─To Thesis
我的妖怪娃娃─致論文
The Siren
海妖
Now That We Shall Part
別離此刻
Mimicry
擬態
輯二.無夢天堂
Part 2: Heaven Without Dream
悅讀
Reading
煙
Smoke
甜食怪
Dessert Monster
暈
Faint
詩奴
Slave of Poetry
潛行者
The Stalker
雙弦
Two Strings
終曲
The End
《預言者保羅之書》─獻給章魚哥保羅與2010世足
Book for Paul the Prophet─Dedicated to Paul the Octopus and World Cup 2010
紅流─悼辭世的祖父母
The Red Flood─In memory of my departed grandparents
中年
Middle Age
花
Flowers
捉迷藏
Seek and Hide
夜襲
The Night Attack
除濕機
Dehumidifier
標點
The Punctuation
重逢
The Reunion
浪漫
Romantic
突變
Transformation
孩子
The Child
臉
Face
末日
The Day the World Ends
變形記─致宅男
Metamorphosis─To An Otaku
鳥─致捐血
Bird─To Blood Donation
怪物的孩子
The Monster’s Child
後記
Epilogue
推薦序/余學林
推薦序/袁鶴翔
推薦序/綠蒂
自序
Part 1: Land Without Sleep
輯一.無眠大地
Who Steals My Sleep?
誰偷走我的睡眠?
A Personal Statement
個人論點
Crows
鴉
The Murder Ballad
殺戮歌謠
Sashimi
生魚片
Street Cats
野貓
Vow
誓
The White Wine
白酒
Stars
星辰
Salmon: The Migration
鮭魚:遷徙
The Wall
牆
Sister Leaving Home
小妹離家
Gradually
漸
Dream #10
夢境之十
Something/Anything
某些事,任何事
Ann
安
The Abattoir
屠宰場
Losing Weights
減肥
Cake
蛋糕
Hint
暗示
Cooking
下廚
The Small House
小屋
A Drunk Ballad
醉之謠
The Gambler
賭徒
Parting
離
Twins
雙生
A New Year’s Song
新年之歌
Garbage Bag
垃圾袋
Zen
禪說
The Fictional Lover
雲端情人
Gone
逝
The Copyist
臨摹者
Amour
愛慕
The Whistling Kettle
鳴笛水壺
My Babe Monster─To Thesis
我的妖怪娃娃─致論文
The Siren
海妖
Now That We Shall Part
別離此刻
Mimicry
擬態
輯二.無夢天堂
Part 2: Heaven Without Dream
悅讀
Reading
煙
Smoke
甜食怪
Dessert Monster
暈
Faint
詩奴
Slave of Poetry
潛行者
The Stalker
雙弦
Two Strings
終曲
The End
《預言者保羅之書》─獻給章魚哥保羅與2010世足
Book for Paul the Prophet─Dedicated to Paul the Octopus and World Cup 2010
紅流─悼辭世的祖父母
The Red Flood─In memory of my departed grandparents
中年
Middle Age
花
Flowers
捉迷藏
Seek and Hide
夜襲
The Night Attack
除濕機
Dehumidifier
標點
The Punctuation
重逢
The Reunion
浪漫
Romantic
突變
Transformation
孩子
The Child
臉
Face
末日
The Day the World Ends
變形記─致宅男
Metamorphosis─To An Otaku
鳥─致捐血
Bird─To Blood Donation
怪物的孩子
The Monster’s Child
後記
Epilogue
序/導讀
總序 台灣詩學吹鼓吹詩人叢書出版緣起/蘇紹連
「台灣詩學季刊雜誌社」創辦於一九九二年十二月六日,這是台灣詩壇上一個歷史性的日子,這個日子開啟了台灣詩學時代的來臨。《台灣詩學季刊》在前後任社長向明和李瑞騰的帶領下,經歷了兩位主編白靈、蕭蕭,至二○○二年改版為《台灣詩學學刊》,由鄭慧如主編,以學術論文為主,附刊詩作。二○○三年六月十一日設立「吹鼓吹詩論壇」網站,從此,一個大型的詩論壇終於在台灣誕生了。二○○五年九月增加《台灣詩學‧吹鼓吹詩論壇》刊物,由蘇紹連主編。《台灣詩學》以雙刊物形態創詩壇之舉,同時出版學術面的評論詩學,及以詩創作為主的刊物。
「吹鼓吹詩論壇」網站定位為新世代新勢力的網路詩社群,並以「詩腸鼓吹,吹響詩號,鼓動詩潮」十二字為論壇主旨,典出自於唐朝‧馮贄《雲仙雜記‧二、俗耳針砭,詩腸鼓吹》:「戴顒春日攜雙柑斗酒,人問何之,曰:『往聽黃鸝聲,此俗耳針砭,詩腸鼓吹,汝知之乎?』」因黃鸝之聲悅耳動聽,可以發人清思,激發詩興,詩興的激發必須砭去俗思,代以雅興。論壇的名稱「吹鼓吹」三字響亮,而且論壇主旨旗幟鮮明,立即驚動了網路詩界。
「吹鼓吹詩論壇」網站在台灣網路執詩界牛耳是不爭的事實,詩的創作者或讀者們競相加入論壇為會員,除於論壇發表詩作、賞評回覆外,更有擔任版主者參與論壇版務的工作,一起推動論壇的輪子,繼續邁向更為寬廣的網路詩創作及交流場域。在這之中,有許多潛質優異的詩人逐漸浮現出來,他們的詩作散發耀眼的光芒,深受詩壇前輩們的矚目,諸如鯨向海、楊佳嫻、林德俊、陳思嫻、李長青、羅浩原、然靈、阿米、陳牧宏、羅毓嘉、林禹瑄……等人,都曾是「吹鼓吹詩論壇」的版主,他們現今已是能獨當一面的新世代頂尖詩人。
「吹鼓吹詩論壇」網站除了提供像是詩壇的「星光大道」或「超級偶像」發表平台,讓許多新人展現詩藝外,還把優秀詩作集結為「年度論壇詩選」於平面媒體刊登,以此留下珍貴的網路詩歷史資料。二○○九年起,更進一步訂立「台灣詩學吹鼓吹詩人叢書」方案,鼓勵在「吹鼓吹詩論壇」創作優異的詩人,出版其個人詩集,期與「台灣詩學」的宗旨「挖深織廣,詩寫台灣經驗;剖情析采,論說現代詩學」站在同一高度,留下創作的成果。此一方案幸得「秀威資訊科技有限公司」應允,而得以實現。今後,「台灣詩學季刊雜誌社」將戮力於此項方案的進行,每半年甄選一至三位台灣最優秀的新世代詩人出版詩集,以細水長流的方式,三年、五年,甚至十年之後,這套「詩人叢書」累計無數本詩集,將是台灣詩壇在二十一世紀中一套堅強而整齊的詩人叢書,也將見證台灣詩史上這段期間新世代詩人的成長及詩風的建立。
若此,我們的詩壇必然能夠再創現代詩的盛唐時代!讓我們殷切期待吧。
二○一四年一月修訂
推薦序/余學林
從開始寫詩至今約莫十八年,從事外語翻譯六年,現在本業是醫學研究,什麼都要沾點邊,也總是徘徊邊緣,某種程度上堪稱自得其樂的我,接獲羅拔的邀約,對我來說是抬舉,也是一項重責大任。
首先,我想討論「雙語詩」。
廣義的「雙語詩」是以不同語言版本呈現同一首詩,但假設如此,「雙語詩」和「翻譯詩」又有何差別?我認為「雙語詩」的其中一種「定義」或「種類」應是「同一作者的意識流,用兩種不同語言去詮釋」。這樣的創作方式,是否可稱為「獨立雙語詩」?兩人以上所作的稱為「偕同雙語詩」?「雙語詩」的定義,尚須時光的醞釀,於此序文,我們姑且用上述的定義吧。
詩的「原形」存在於思緒中,詩人「看見」了這樣的「原形」,以兩種語言作為媒介,創造出「雙語詩」。既然是同一作者的創作,即使文本上有歧異也是可以被接受的,(雙語詩的作者就是有這樣的「主角威能」)有時候這樣的歧異是互補的。
下面舉幾個例子,來討論羅拔的雙語詩。
《Stars/星辰》一詩短短三行,但言簡意深,包含起承轉合,也呈現出雙語詩的自由度。詩中首先將情景定錨於「夜晚」,接續「雙眼閃爍」,讓我們以為自己正看著星空,然而詩人話鋒一轉,解釋我們的視線其實「在名為網頁的天空」,我們的眼睛即是星星,主客互換,張力即生。
英文內容「All the night/All our eyes shine/On the sky named website」中,可見到前兩句使用「首語重複法」(Anaphora),但中文內容「整個夜晚/我們的雙眼閃爍/在名為網頁的天空」,前兩句為求語順而放棄這樣的技法。英文後兩句使用「非全韻」(Imperfect rhyme),中文後兩句則是用「爍」與「空」這兩個不合格押韻則實音近的方式處理。
《孩子/The Child》展現出中英文之間的差異性與互補性,中文內容其中一句「怒吼酒瓶玻璃瘀青」,乍看之下是一連串的蒙太奇,但當看見英文內容的「Winebottlesbrokenglassbruisesscreams」,才驚覺有這樣的急躁與壓迫感。雖然中文沒有類似的呈現手法,但是一個「漢字」中所蘊含的訊息量,用很少的空間傳達出很多的意思。「拭淚」、「什麼是家?」相較於「he wipes his tears」、「What is home to him?」而言,就顯得較為簡短,當然這也與英文文法非常需要主詞存在於一個完整的句子有關。
既然羅拔找我寫序,應該早有心理準備我會套用統計方法:
平均中文字數:64字
標準差:41字
中位數:35字
最小值:11字
最大值:294字
平均英文字數:48字
標準差:57字
中位數:46字
最小值:10字
最大值:204字
根據上述數據可以得知,羅拔偶有篇幅較長的作品,但創作的大多是短詩,易於消化,即使是忙碌的上班族亦適用。
羅拔性格溫厚而蘊藏熱情,詩風樸實卻不時地為讀者帶來驚喜,他寫生活、寫電影、寫私人情感,有時紀念家人,有時描繪社會,作品時而溫馨,時而逗趣,時而驚悚,白天他揹著一袋玻璃瓶去採集世界各地的土壤,深夜在庭院裡栽培花草,每一瓶土壤,他會播種兩次,用不同的種子。這就是你手中的《詩眠集》。
詩人少,雙語詩人甚少,我們的蕞爾小島能生出幾個雙語詩人?而羅拔正是其中一個孜孜不倦的少數。十年磨一劍,即使是再溫厚的詩人,也終有出鞘的一天。如今有幸見證結束修行出關的羅拔,我與有榮焉。我相信,羅拔會繼續寫,我們也會繼續讀。
入口到了,歡迎光臨羅拔的詩園。
二○一九.一.二十一 於奧克蘭
Foreword/Lennex Hsueh-Lin Yu
It has been around 18 years since I started writing poetry and 6 years since I started working as a translator. And my full-time job is a medical science researcher. I have experiences in many things, but never an expert in anything. I guess I am happy with that. Receiving the invitation from Rob to write the foreword for his poetry collection is a great honour and a worrying responsibility.
To start, I would like to talk about “bilingual poetry”.
A broad definition of “bilingual poetry” is one single poem with two different language versions. If this definition holds true, what then are the differences between “bilingual poetry” and “translated poetry”? I think one definition or type of “bilingual poetry” may be “the flow of consciousness of a single poet interpreted in two different languages”. Perhaps such creation can be called “independent bilingual poetry”, whereas that is created by two or more participants may be called “accompanied bilingual poetry”. A proper definition requires time to brew, and for the time being let us accept the aforementioned definition.
The “source” of poetry exists in the mind, of which the poet “sees” and uses two languages to bring forth the abstract into physical existence of “bilingual poetry”. As each pair of poems is written by the same poet, even if there are differences in the poetry, they should be tolerable (due to the invincibility of authorship) and sometimes they may complement each other.
I shall use a couple of examples below to discuss Rob’s bilingual poetry.
“Stars/星辰” consists of merely three lines. While simple, it bears deep meanings, contains an introduction, elucidation of the theme, transition and a conclusion, and demonstrates the freedom a bilingual poet has. In the first line, the scene is set at “night”, followed by “our eyes shine”, hinting as if we are looking at the starry night sky. However, the last line reveals that our eyes are shining “on the sky named website”. Our eyes are in fact the stars. The change between subject and object creates tension in this poem.
In the English version, “All the night/All our eyes shine/On the sky named website”, we can see the use of anaphora in the first two lines, which was abandoned by the poet in the Chinese version (“整個夜晚/我們的雙眼閃爍/在名為網頁的天空”) for the sake of fluency. Imperfect rhyme was used in the second and third line of the English version, whereas in the Chinese version, non-rhyming but similar-sounding characters “爍 (shuò)” and “空 (kong)” were used to accommodate for imperfect rhyme.
“孩子/The Child” demonstrated the variability and complementarity between Chinese and English. In the Chinese version, one line wrote “怒吼酒瓶玻璃瘀青”, which seems like the use of montage. It is not until we see the English version “Winebottlesbrokenglassbruisesscreams” that we realized the irritability and pressure. Although such technique cannot be applied in Chinese, the Chinese characters are complex units that contain larger amount of information in the same space used. “拭淚” and “什麼是家?” seem more compact than “he wipes his tears” and “What is home to him?” respectively. Of course, it also has to do with the necessity of a subject in a complete sentence in English grammar.
Since Rob asked me to write the foreword for him, then surely, he had prepared to see some statistics on his poetry collection.
Chinese characters
Mean:64
Standard deviation: 41
Median: 35
Minimum: 11
Maximum: 294
English words
Mean: 48
Standard deviation: 57
Median: 46
Minimum: 10
Maximum: 204
Based on the statistics, it is known that occasionally Rob writes longer poems, but the vast majority of his work are short poems, easily digestible even for busy white-collars.
Rob is a gentleman with immanent passion. His poems are simple yet sometimes bring you surprises. He writes about life, movies, personal feelings. Sometimes he commemorates his family members and sometimes he depicts the society. His poems are sometimes heart-warming, sometimes funny, and sometimes, straight-up horrifying. During the day, he carries a bag of glass bottles to collect different kinds of soils from all around the world. At night he plants different seeds twice in each kind of soil. And that is the poetry collection you are holding.
There are few poets in this world, let alone bilingual poets. How many will there be in Taiwan? Well, Rob is one of the dedicated few. It is said in Chinese “ten years to make a sword”. This day would come eventually, even for the humblest poet. I have been honoured to witness Rob’s epiphany. I believe Rob will keep on writing, and we will keep on reading.
Here we are at the entrance. Welcome to Rob’s garden of poetry.
21st January 2019 in Auckland
「台灣詩學季刊雜誌社」創辦於一九九二年十二月六日,這是台灣詩壇上一個歷史性的日子,這個日子開啟了台灣詩學時代的來臨。《台灣詩學季刊》在前後任社長向明和李瑞騰的帶領下,經歷了兩位主編白靈、蕭蕭,至二○○二年改版為《台灣詩學學刊》,由鄭慧如主編,以學術論文為主,附刊詩作。二○○三年六月十一日設立「吹鼓吹詩論壇」網站,從此,一個大型的詩論壇終於在台灣誕生了。二○○五年九月增加《台灣詩學‧吹鼓吹詩論壇》刊物,由蘇紹連主編。《台灣詩學》以雙刊物形態創詩壇之舉,同時出版學術面的評論詩學,及以詩創作為主的刊物。
「吹鼓吹詩論壇」網站定位為新世代新勢力的網路詩社群,並以「詩腸鼓吹,吹響詩號,鼓動詩潮」十二字為論壇主旨,典出自於唐朝‧馮贄《雲仙雜記‧二、俗耳針砭,詩腸鼓吹》:「戴顒春日攜雙柑斗酒,人問何之,曰:『往聽黃鸝聲,此俗耳針砭,詩腸鼓吹,汝知之乎?』」因黃鸝之聲悅耳動聽,可以發人清思,激發詩興,詩興的激發必須砭去俗思,代以雅興。論壇的名稱「吹鼓吹」三字響亮,而且論壇主旨旗幟鮮明,立即驚動了網路詩界。
「吹鼓吹詩論壇」網站在台灣網路執詩界牛耳是不爭的事實,詩的創作者或讀者們競相加入論壇為會員,除於論壇發表詩作、賞評回覆外,更有擔任版主者參與論壇版務的工作,一起推動論壇的輪子,繼續邁向更為寬廣的網路詩創作及交流場域。在這之中,有許多潛質優異的詩人逐漸浮現出來,他們的詩作散發耀眼的光芒,深受詩壇前輩們的矚目,諸如鯨向海、楊佳嫻、林德俊、陳思嫻、李長青、羅浩原、然靈、阿米、陳牧宏、羅毓嘉、林禹瑄……等人,都曾是「吹鼓吹詩論壇」的版主,他們現今已是能獨當一面的新世代頂尖詩人。
「吹鼓吹詩論壇」網站除了提供像是詩壇的「星光大道」或「超級偶像」發表平台,讓許多新人展現詩藝外,還把優秀詩作集結為「年度論壇詩選」於平面媒體刊登,以此留下珍貴的網路詩歷史資料。二○○九年起,更進一步訂立「台灣詩學吹鼓吹詩人叢書」方案,鼓勵在「吹鼓吹詩論壇」創作優異的詩人,出版其個人詩集,期與「台灣詩學」的宗旨「挖深織廣,詩寫台灣經驗;剖情析采,論說現代詩學」站在同一高度,留下創作的成果。此一方案幸得「秀威資訊科技有限公司」應允,而得以實現。今後,「台灣詩學季刊雜誌社」將戮力於此項方案的進行,每半年甄選一至三位台灣最優秀的新世代詩人出版詩集,以細水長流的方式,三年、五年,甚至十年之後,這套「詩人叢書」累計無數本詩集,將是台灣詩壇在二十一世紀中一套堅強而整齊的詩人叢書,也將見證台灣詩史上這段期間新世代詩人的成長及詩風的建立。
若此,我們的詩壇必然能夠再創現代詩的盛唐時代!讓我們殷切期待吧。
二○一四年一月修訂
推薦序/余學林
從開始寫詩至今約莫十八年,從事外語翻譯六年,現在本業是醫學研究,什麼都要沾點邊,也總是徘徊邊緣,某種程度上堪稱自得其樂的我,接獲羅拔的邀約,對我來說是抬舉,也是一項重責大任。
首先,我想討論「雙語詩」。
廣義的「雙語詩」是以不同語言版本呈現同一首詩,但假設如此,「雙語詩」和「翻譯詩」又有何差別?我認為「雙語詩」的其中一種「定義」或「種類」應是「同一作者的意識流,用兩種不同語言去詮釋」。這樣的創作方式,是否可稱為「獨立雙語詩」?兩人以上所作的稱為「偕同雙語詩」?「雙語詩」的定義,尚須時光的醞釀,於此序文,我們姑且用上述的定義吧。
詩的「原形」存在於思緒中,詩人「看見」了這樣的「原形」,以兩種語言作為媒介,創造出「雙語詩」。既然是同一作者的創作,即使文本上有歧異也是可以被接受的,(雙語詩的作者就是有這樣的「主角威能」)有時候這樣的歧異是互補的。
下面舉幾個例子,來討論羅拔的雙語詩。
《Stars/星辰》一詩短短三行,但言簡意深,包含起承轉合,也呈現出雙語詩的自由度。詩中首先將情景定錨於「夜晚」,接續「雙眼閃爍」,讓我們以為自己正看著星空,然而詩人話鋒一轉,解釋我們的視線其實「在名為網頁的天空」,我們的眼睛即是星星,主客互換,張力即生。
英文內容「All the night/All our eyes shine/On the sky named website」中,可見到前兩句使用「首語重複法」(Anaphora),但中文內容「整個夜晚/我們的雙眼閃爍/在名為網頁的天空」,前兩句為求語順而放棄這樣的技法。英文後兩句使用「非全韻」(Imperfect rhyme),中文後兩句則是用「爍」與「空」這兩個不合格押韻則實音近的方式處理。
《孩子/The Child》展現出中英文之間的差異性與互補性,中文內容其中一句「怒吼酒瓶玻璃瘀青」,乍看之下是一連串的蒙太奇,但當看見英文內容的「Winebottlesbrokenglassbruisesscreams」,才驚覺有這樣的急躁與壓迫感。雖然中文沒有類似的呈現手法,但是一個「漢字」中所蘊含的訊息量,用很少的空間傳達出很多的意思。「拭淚」、「什麼是家?」相較於「he wipes his tears」、「What is home to him?」而言,就顯得較為簡短,當然這也與英文文法非常需要主詞存在於一個完整的句子有關。
既然羅拔找我寫序,應該早有心理準備我會套用統計方法:
平均中文字數:64字
標準差:41字
中位數:35字
最小值:11字
最大值:294字
平均英文字數:48字
標準差:57字
中位數:46字
最小值:10字
最大值:204字
根據上述數據可以得知,羅拔偶有篇幅較長的作品,但創作的大多是短詩,易於消化,即使是忙碌的上班族亦適用。
羅拔性格溫厚而蘊藏熱情,詩風樸實卻不時地為讀者帶來驚喜,他寫生活、寫電影、寫私人情感,有時紀念家人,有時描繪社會,作品時而溫馨,時而逗趣,時而驚悚,白天他揹著一袋玻璃瓶去採集世界各地的土壤,深夜在庭院裡栽培花草,每一瓶土壤,他會播種兩次,用不同的種子。這就是你手中的《詩眠集》。
詩人少,雙語詩人甚少,我們的蕞爾小島能生出幾個雙語詩人?而羅拔正是其中一個孜孜不倦的少數。十年磨一劍,即使是再溫厚的詩人,也終有出鞘的一天。如今有幸見證結束修行出關的羅拔,我與有榮焉。我相信,羅拔會繼續寫,我們也會繼續讀。
入口到了,歡迎光臨羅拔的詩園。
二○一九.一.二十一 於奧克蘭
Foreword/Lennex Hsueh-Lin Yu
It has been around 18 years since I started writing poetry and 6 years since I started working as a translator. And my full-time job is a medical science researcher. I have experiences in many things, but never an expert in anything. I guess I am happy with that. Receiving the invitation from Rob to write the foreword for his poetry collection is a great honour and a worrying responsibility.
To start, I would like to talk about “bilingual poetry”.
A broad definition of “bilingual poetry” is one single poem with two different language versions. If this definition holds true, what then are the differences between “bilingual poetry” and “translated poetry”? I think one definition or type of “bilingual poetry” may be “the flow of consciousness of a single poet interpreted in two different languages”. Perhaps such creation can be called “independent bilingual poetry”, whereas that is created by two or more participants may be called “accompanied bilingual poetry”. A proper definition requires time to brew, and for the time being let us accept the aforementioned definition.
The “source” of poetry exists in the mind, of which the poet “sees” and uses two languages to bring forth the abstract into physical existence of “bilingual poetry”. As each pair of poems is written by the same poet, even if there are differences in the poetry, they should be tolerable (due to the invincibility of authorship) and sometimes they may complement each other.
I shall use a couple of examples below to discuss Rob’s bilingual poetry.
“Stars/星辰” consists of merely three lines. While simple, it bears deep meanings, contains an introduction, elucidation of the theme, transition and a conclusion, and demonstrates the freedom a bilingual poet has. In the first line, the scene is set at “night”, followed by “our eyes shine”, hinting as if we are looking at the starry night sky. However, the last line reveals that our eyes are shining “on the sky named website”. Our eyes are in fact the stars. The change between subject and object creates tension in this poem.
In the English version, “All the night/All our eyes shine/On the sky named website”, we can see the use of anaphora in the first two lines, which was abandoned by the poet in the Chinese version (“整個夜晚/我們的雙眼閃爍/在名為網頁的天空”) for the sake of fluency. Imperfect rhyme was used in the second and third line of the English version, whereas in the Chinese version, non-rhyming but similar-sounding characters “爍 (shuò)” and “空 (kong)” were used to accommodate for imperfect rhyme.
“孩子/The Child” demonstrated the variability and complementarity between Chinese and English. In the Chinese version, one line wrote “怒吼酒瓶玻璃瘀青”, which seems like the use of montage. It is not until we see the English version “Winebottlesbrokenglassbruisesscreams” that we realized the irritability and pressure. Although such technique cannot be applied in Chinese, the Chinese characters are complex units that contain larger amount of information in the same space used. “拭淚” and “什麼是家?” seem more compact than “he wipes his tears” and “What is home to him?” respectively. Of course, it also has to do with the necessity of a subject in a complete sentence in English grammar.
Since Rob asked me to write the foreword for him, then surely, he had prepared to see some statistics on his poetry collection.
Chinese characters
Mean:64
Standard deviation: 41
Median: 35
Minimum: 11
Maximum: 294
English words
Mean: 48
Standard deviation: 57
Median: 46
Minimum: 10
Maximum: 204
Based on the statistics, it is known that occasionally Rob writes longer poems, but the vast majority of his work are short poems, easily digestible even for busy white-collars.
Rob is a gentleman with immanent passion. His poems are simple yet sometimes bring you surprises. He writes about life, movies, personal feelings. Sometimes he commemorates his family members and sometimes he depicts the society. His poems are sometimes heart-warming, sometimes funny, and sometimes, straight-up horrifying. During the day, he carries a bag of glass bottles to collect different kinds of soils from all around the world. At night he plants different seeds twice in each kind of soil. And that is the poetry collection you are holding.
There are few poets in this world, let alone bilingual poets. How many will there be in Taiwan? Well, Rob is one of the dedicated few. It is said in Chinese “ten years to make a sword”. This day would come eventually, even for the humblest poet. I have been honoured to witness Rob’s epiphany. I believe Rob will keep on writing, and we will keep on reading.
Here we are at the entrance. Welcome to Rob’s garden of poetry.
21st January 2019 in Auckland
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