April 30, 2013

THE FINAL CUT - 歌詞簡述 13/10



"THE FINAL CUT"
後戰爭期的 "安魂曲"
"SOUTHAMPTON DOCK"
WWII 世界二戰結朿, 軍人回國, 人們無言地對陣亡戰士默哀, 祈求戰後的傷痕像沉寂以久的 Corn Poppy 虞美人花 (Papaver rhoeas) 與它的種籽跟悲傷同埋於泥土下。
 

Corn Poppy (Papaver Rhoeas) 虞美人花  
屬不同品種的罌粟花, 自二十世紀初, 在歐洲的土壤已不見它發芽開花。第一次世界大戰期間, 最慘烈的戰場之一, 在比利時 Belgium 西北面, 荷語區的法蘭德倫 Vlaanderen (Flanders) 的戰地上, 死傷軍人無數, 血流成河, 滿目瘡痍。戰事結束, 很多土壤經戰爭的踐踏和炮火蹂躪之後, 花草難以再生, 但是, Rapaver Rhoeas 這品種的花朶在 Vlaanderen 再度盛放, 遍野看似滿佈着陣亡軍人的鮮血。一位加拿大軍醫 John McCrae, 在他的一首追悼詩《In Flanders Field》把這戰况描繪出來。

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

1918年11月11日, 由法國代表協約國與德意志帝國正式簽署停戰協議, 並於當天上午十一時宣告戰事結速。及後每年十一月十一日, 英國, 法國和新西蘭訂為 "Armistice Day 停戰日", 美國的 "Veterans Day 退伍軍人節", 加拿大、澳洲和南非等英聯邦國家的 "Remembranace Day 陣亡將士紀念日"。一個嚴肅的國殤紀念日, 各國會獻上血紅色的 Corn Poppy 虞美人花 Papaver Rhoeas 對所有捐軀軍人致敬和悼念。至今, 某大国在當天卻要慶祝膚淺和愚昧的"1111光棍節"。


 
1982年 Falklands War 福克蘭戰役, 時任英國首相 Margaret Thatcher 把年青人送上戰場, 人們再要祈待另一次戰爭結束, 尤如等侯埋於黃土下的種籽重生, 令血紅的 Corn Poppy 虞美人花 (Papaver rhoeas) 重現, 讓大自然再一次帶來死亡的啓示。

10. SOUTHAMPTON DOCK
They disembarked in '45    1945年, 二戰告终
And no one spoke and no one smiled
There were too many spaces in the line
And gathered at the cenotaph


All agreed with hand on heart
To sheath the sacrificial knives
But now

She stands upon Southampton dock     英國首相 Margaret Thatcher
With her handkerchief
And her summer frock
Clings to her wet body in the rain
In quiet desperation
Knuckles white upon the slippery reins
She bravely waves the boys good-bye again   上陣軍人

And still the dark stain
Spreads between their shoulder blades
A mute reminder of the poppy fields and graves     陣亡戰士


When the fight was over
We spent what they had made
But
In the bottom of our hearts
We felt the final cut

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