終於，那人揮動鐵錘，釘下最後一根釘
太平洋鐵路完工通車，一切就蓋棺論定了

是哪些人揮汗如雨，忍受烈陽煎煮暴力的？
是那些人咬緊牙關，頂向冰雪嚴寒封凍的？
是那些人面不改色，穿行風雨晦暗中的？
是哪些人早出晚歸，踩崎嶇坎坷如平地的？
是哪些人孜孜不倦，鋪設枕木和鐵軌的？……

工作再工作，堅持再堅持
耐心鏟除重重險阻
努力再努力，進展再進展
一點一滴地堆積成果……

終於那人揮動鐵錘，釘下最後一根釘
太平洋鐵路完工通車，一切就蓋棺論定了：
原來是那些傢伙
當白皮膚、藍眼珠的棄之而去
他們肩挑一根扁擔，兩頭吊掛兩個籮筐
「兩腳夾兩粒卵泡」
從老遠老遠的東方，跋山涉水而來……

他們毫不起眼：
黃皮膚、黑眼珠、黑頭髮……

註：太平洋鐵路為加拿大最長鐵路，完工通車時，在東西鐵路交會點釘下最後一根釘，以為紀念，現今仍留存，作為觀光景點。作者去年遊加拿大溫哥華、落磯山時，曾於四月十日前往觀看。詩中「兩腳夾兩粒卵泡」為台諺，形容「身無長物」，宜以台語讀之。

The Last Nail Hsu ChiCheng

Eventually, that man flings the hammer, to nail down the last nail
When the Pacific Ocean Railway is completed and open to traffic, all is settled

Who are sweating like rain, under tribulation of the scorching sun?
Who are setting the teeth, braving the severe cold of ice and snow?
Who remain calm of complexion, tracking through dark winds and rains?
Who rise early and return late, walking along the rough road like a flat one?
Who are untiring, to lay rails and sleeper?...

Work after work, perseverance and perseverance
With patience to get rid of various difficulties
Efforts after efforts, progress to progress
To accumulate fruits in drops…

Eventually that person fling the hammer, to nail the last nail
When the Pacific Ocean Railway is completed and open to traffic, all is settled:
Originally those fellows
When the fair-skinned and blue-eyes abandon it for good
They carry on shoulder with a pole, two bamboo baskets on two ends
“Two eggs between two feet”
Coming from the remote Orient, crossing mountains and wading waters…

They are no attention getters:
Yellow skin, black eyes, and black hair…

Remark :The Pacific Ocean Railway is the longest railway in Canada; when it is completed and open to traffic, the last nail is nailed down at the intersection of the railways for memory, which is now a scenic for tourism. In last year, I have been to Vancouver and Rocky Mountain, from which I went to see the site. “Two eggs between two feet” in the poem is a Taiwanese proverb which means “to have only bare necessities of life.”