關於英文課－女兒八年級寫的Ballad
中國的詩詞很美，在Helen當學生的時代，我們學著去了解、去欣賞、去熟背，然後增加自己引經據典的能力，大概就是這樣了！(能夠適時引用古代詩詞的文章通常能加分！) 幾十年過去了，現在有改變嗎？有啊！我們花很多時間教孩子文法（那叫修辭學），卻又不約而同憂慮著孩子的國文能力日益低下！這是怎麼回事？
女兒在台北歐洲學校的英文課也有「詩」這個單元（Poetry Unit），八年級*學Ballad（敘述歌謠形式）*。孩子除學習特定詩的形式與規則，當時的歷史與文化，經典傑作欣賞外，每人都要交一篇作業。雖然字數不多，小女卻花相當多時間構思，那段時間常看她在沉思或喃喃自語，因為字數、音節數、押韻方式、段數都有規定，且須有故事性（不能無俚頭）！以下就是小女的作業內容（十三歲女孩的嘔心瀝血之作，請勿抄襲或全文轉貼，謝謝）：
Bloody Sunday*
Something not merry, happened in Derry,
In nineteen seventy two.
The dreadful protest, made people stressed,
All I'm telling is true.
People were kept in jail, in this horrid tale,
They were kept in without trials.
It wasn't fair, for the people who cared,
They protested without smiles.
It's full of sadness, there's no happiness,
The day was not at all fun.
Sweat was on the ground, enough for you to drown,
When the soldier pulled out his gun.
Many died of wounds, way worse than typhoons,
What would this make you feel?
I feel lots of pain, deep down in my veins,
Knowing that it was all real.
No flowers do bloom, on the day of doom,
While the floor's covered with sweat.
Thirteen were shot, others were caught,
We shall never forget.
A chill in the air, was a sign of despair,
It was everywhere that time.
It would make you cry, just thinking of why,
Killing innocents wasn't a crime.
There wasn't a route, for them to get out,
They're trapped in that terrible mess.
The sun has set, but it didn't end yet,
They tried to find an egress.
Try to imagine, how much frustration,
The protesters had been through.
You might not notice, but there were no justice,
Back in nineteen seventy two .
The people with glory in this story,
Were the ones that went to protest.
We shall keep in mind, that they will always shine,
In our hearts, like a star that's blessed.
Something not merry, happened in Derry,
In nineteen seventy two.
The dreadful protest, made people stressed,
All I have said was true.
說明
1. 英國學校八年級為中學二年級，年紀相當台灣學制之國一（七年級）。
2. Ballad（敘述歌謠）是一種韻文，常敘述著某個悲劇故事且能譜成歌謠。中古時代後期至十九世紀，英國與愛爾蘭的流行詩或民謠多為此形式。現今許多愛情歌曲之歌詞亦以此形式呈現。其對字數、音節數、段數、押韻方式均有規定。
3. Bloody Sunday（血腥星期天），指 1972年1月30日 發生在北愛爾蘭Derry鎮的血腥鎮壓事件，U2樂團的Sunday Bloody Sunday的歌曲內容，即是對此事件之描述與哀悼。
4. U2的Sunday Bloody Sunday可觀賞以下Youtube影片。
國內的國中教育，多忙著準備基測，老師家長大概無法容忍孩子沉思或喃喃自語吧！那麼我們的孩子還是停留在三十年前我們的了解、欣賞、背誦和引經據典的模式！如果大家覺得這樣是OK，那也未嘗不可！
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