老树

樊功生

荒野里的那棵枯树

就像个倔强的老人

绿叶早已飘尽

黑黑的皮壳大多斑落

根部也近枯朽...

然而

他尖利的枝干

却像有力的臂膀

在狂风中执着地伸向天空...

他是在向往什么

还是在祈求什么？

都不是

他不再向往更好的未来

因为已经没有未来

更不会祈求下一次生命

因为生命的终结

就是最后的终结

曾几何时

他也绿茵过

也紫妍过...

但此时

他只是在感恩

感恩上天给予的

每一日每一刻

他深知有一天

他会随着落日倒下

但又坚信

它顽强的毅力

会挺过一次又一次风雨

他只是在想：

要活着

要活好每一分钟

即便只剩下它孤零一个

枉废了天公的恩赐

就是不可饶恕的罪虐！

此刻

他也在期盼

期盼在它即将安息的地方

生出一缕纯净的青芽

它将用自己残存的余温

来呵护新苗的滋长

用它即将湮灭的干躯

送去第一份营养...

Old Tree

By Ken Fan 

That lonely tree in the desert, 

All dried up, 

Resembling a stubborn old man. 

The leaves are all blown away, 

The dark skins also peel off, 

And the root is almost rotten...

Nonetheless, 

His sharp branches,

Like muscular arms, 

Brave the whirlwind, 

Firmly pointing to the sky. 

Is he longing for something, 

Or praying for something? 

Neither. 

He is not looking forward to the future, 

Because there's no future. 

Neither is he praying for a next life, 

Because the end of life is, 

For sure, 

the end of all. 

Once upon a time, 

He was also tenderly green, 

and also superbly lustrous. 

But now he only feel grateful. 

He wants to thank God

for every moment on earth.

He realizes well 

That someday he'll collapse with a setting sun. 

But he's also convinced that his determination will carry him through storms after storms. 

He's just preoccupied with one thought:

Be alive, 

And live well,

For every single minute,

Even if he would be the last one standing. 

It's an unforgivable offense, 

To squander the blessing from the Heaven. 

At this very moment,

He's also longing

For a slender seedling,

Tender and pure,

To push out from where he would lie down.

He will nurture and protect

This new life 

With his diminishing warmth.

He will pass on the first bit of nourishment with his dissipating body.