同安街 - Tong'an Street

 

盈珍攝影 - Ying Chen photography

盈珍粉彩素描 - Ying Chen pastel drawing 

《 如果你不知道你要去何處，

記住你來自那裡。》

這句非洲諺語

令我想到

小時候常聽到母親的好友說 -

妹妹在「 同安街 」出生時

鄰居奔相走告來看大眼睛娃娃。

這是我對出生地僅有的印象。

今天終於來到同安街。

如今已列市定古蹟，

並以「紀州庵文學森林」

作為台灣文學展覽、講學場所。

曾任公職的父親和我們

在此居住過。

直到他提早退休創業。

我們舉家遷離時我才三歲。

這座優雅秀麗的日式房屋

沒能牽引我的感觸。

沿著小徑繞了幾圈，

唯有這些

歷經滄桑，依然在默默守護、

淨化環境的老樹⋯

似曾相識。

 

《 If you don't know where you're going, remember where you came from. 》 -

This African proverb reminds me 

of a story my mother’s close friend used to tell when I was little. 

She said that when I was born on Tongan Street, 

the neighbors spread the word and came to see the baby with the big, beautiful eyes. 

These fragments 

are the only impressions I have 

of my birthplace.

Today, I finally came to 

Tong'an Street.

Now designated as a city historic site, 

it operates as the 'Kishu An Forest of Literature,

serving as a venue for Taiwanese literature exhibitions and lectures."

My father, who used to be a civil servant, lived here with us 

（Government-provided residence ) 

That was until he took an early retirement

to start his own business.

I was only three years old when our whole family moved away.

This elegant and beautiful Japanese house

didn't really touch my heart.

Walking along the path a few times,

only these old trees -

which have weathered so many hardships, yet still silently guard

and purify the environment.

I had a strange sense of déjà vu.