4. 與總部設在日內瓦的「國際特赦組織」以及紐約的the Center for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights的聯絡，仍在繼續進行。但在今年二月底，由蕃薯葉農組的林深靖及鍾秀梅前往香港參加WTO非政府組織的討論會議時，已經帶回了總計有17個國家的農、工運團體代表，50多位國際友人聯名聲援楊儒門的力量。當聲援的朋友與國際人權組織聯絡時，他們也因為林深靖、鍾秀梅的努力而已經得知台灣「白米客」事件。
這個情況讓我想起了一首歌頌農民的不朽英詩輓歌，就是湯瑪斯·格雷（Thomas Gray, 1716-1771）最膾炙人口的＜鄉村墓園挽歌＞（Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard，1751）。這首詩很長，每詩節4行共有32詩節128詩行。作者動筆於1742年，花了8年的時間苦心孤詣地修改，而於1751年發表後一時聲名大噪，文人們競相仿作，形成了所謂的“墓園詩派”。該詩表達了詩人對鄉土的感情和對農民的愛，歌頌農民淳樸的天性並批評大人物的奢侈和傲慢。當時英國的產業革命已經開始，詩人感覺到農村寧靜純樸的生活將受到破壞，但卻無可奈何，也只能借用詩歌來排遣感傷了。
The curfew tolls the knell of parting day;
The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea;
The ploughman homeward plods his weary way,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me.
Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight,
And all the air a solemn stillness holds,
Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight,
And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds;
Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.
Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth
A Youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown.
Fair Science frown'd not on his humble birth,
And Melancholy mark'd him for her own.
Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere,
Heav'n did a recompense as largely send:
He gave to Mis'ry all he had, a tear,
He gain'd from Heav'n ('twas all he wish'd) a friend.
No farther seek his merits to disclose,
Or draw his frailties from their dread abode,
(There they alike in trembling hope repose,)
The bosom of his Father and his God
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