炮台

文/Ken

岛的最南端

有个坚实的炮台

说是同治时期的

早已破旧

不见游人

厚厚的石墙缝间

衰败的杂草在探头缩脑

几分凄凉

但依依可见当年的岿然

大石门已斑驳

横匾上只剩有“南天”二字

外面那颗参天大树

也是同一年代

海风又暖又湿

枝叶摇曳着

与其在迎客

倒更像是在哀叹

谁还记得那一段血腥？

倭寇的图谋

列强的阴险

还有不合时宜的瘟疫

一排排躯体

如此年轻

尽在榕树下

在她的眼前... 

坚韧的藤条

死死地缠绕在树杆上

像老人手臂上爆出的筋

抑制着积压的恨

仍可看见

树上的弹孔刀痕

记载着

那一场场狂野的厮杀... 

孤独地立在那里

睡去又醒来

年復一年

还硬朗着

会一直守下去

向过往的人讲述

这个渐渐被忘却的故事... 

注1：高雄旗后炮台随感。

Fortress 

By Ken Fan

At the southern tip of the island, 

Stands firmly a fortress.

Built in Qing Dynasty,

Already rundown

With few visitors. 

From cracks in the thick walls, 

Weeds, half withered, are sticking out uncomfortably. 

And yet past glory still shows through unbearable appearance. 

The grand entrance was heavily mottled, 

With only "South Heavenly..." above it. 

The giant tree outside was

Perhaps from the same era. 

Sea breezes are wet and warm, 

And leaves are waving idly. 

Looks like greeting, 

But rather it's sighing in melancholy. 

Who would still recall that bloodshed? 

Aggression from the east, 

Or ill-intentions from the west, 

As well as that untimely plague. 

Piles of corpses, 

Still so young, 

All lying under the tree, 

And before her eyes...

Those tenacious vines

Intertwine chokingly around the trunk and branches, 

Like veins from an old man's arms, 

With hot blood swelling inside. 

Still visible

Are those scars from knives and bullets,

Recording those savage battles. 

Now it stands there alone, 

Year after year, 

in and out of slumbers.

But nevertheless strong as ever.

It will go on guarding the entrance there,

And recite the stories

To those who pass by.

Note: After visiting Qihou Fortress in Kaohsiung Taiwan.

注2：清史记载：同治十三年（公元1874年），倭寇犯台。经李鸿章举荐，同治帝令唐定奎率六千五百徐州兵速往抗敌。定奎在高雄等处扎营筑台，击退日军。然北方军士多水土不服，疟疾横生，病死不计其数，十分惨烈。

定奎戎马一生，战功显赫。朝廷授建威将军，官至福建陆路提督（大清十二提督之一，从一品）。逝后谥果介公，光绪帝勅建唐公祠于江阴，安徽故居门匾有李鸿章亲题“紫气东来”。

定奎将军是我母亲高祖父的三弟。二弟唐殿魁，也是淮军名将，一生骁勇，最终战死沙场。朝廷追封太子少保，正二品，谥忠壮公。