持續地

持續地  ──by  Maya Angelo

我對你的期許

就是你持續地

持續地

成為你所是的自己

並用善行震攝這惡意的世界

持續地

用幽默照亮你

柔軟心的承擔

持續地

在粗魯又陰暗的社會中

以笑聲讓人們聽到對神性之禮讚

持續地

讓你的辯才提昇

到人們只能想像的高度

持續地

提醒人們

人人都與其他人一樣好

沒有誰在下也不在上

持續地

記得自己年輕的歲月

看好失落

盡少寂寞

持續地

為年輕與無防衛的身軀

披上保護的斗篷

持續地

挽著卑微與疾病之人的手

在高街昂首散步

於是，看見的人們被鼓舞而仿效

持續地

在病人的臉頰與年老體弱的人

播種關懷之吻

如此自然而理所當然

持續地

讓感恩成為你膝下的枕頭

傾訴你夜晚的禱詞

讓信心成為拒惡迎善的橋樑

持續地

穿越你的無願景

而去擴大你的存在

並強大你的精神

持續地

勇敢地去深愛

為了善事而每事冒險

持續地

在無限的物質海洋中快樂地漂浮

在那裡有個為你預留的財富

甚至在你還沒有名字之前

持續地

透過你這樣做

你和你的工作

將能夠持續

直到永遠

CONTINUE: a poem by  Maya Angelou

My wish for you

Is that you continue

         Continue

To be who and how you are

To astonish a mean world

With your acts of kindness

         Continue

To allow humor to lighten the burden

Of your tender heart

         Continue

In a society dark with cruelty

To let the people hear the grandeur

Of God in the peals of your laughter

          Continue

To let your eloquence

Elevate the people to heights

They had only imagined

         Continue

To remind the people that

Each is as good as the other

And that no one is beneath

Nor above you

        Continue

To remember your own young years

And look with favor upon the lost

And the least and the lonely

        Continue

To put the mantle of your protection

Around the bodies of

The young and defenseless

        Continue

To take the hand of the despised

And diseased and walk proudly with them

In the high street

Some might see you and

Be encouraged to do likewise

         Continue

To plant a public kiss of concern

On the cheek of the sick

And the aged and infirm

And count that as a

Natural action to be expected

         Continue

To let gratitude be the pillow

Upon which you kneel to

Say your nightly prayer

And let faith be the bridge

You build to overcome evil

And welcome good

       Continue

To ignore no vision

Which comes to enlarge your range

And increase your spirit

       Continue

To dare to love deeply

And risk everything

For the good thing

       Continue

To float

Happily in the sea of infinite substance

Which set aside riches for you

Before you had a name

       Continue

And by doing so

You and your work

Will be able to continue

Eternally