In 1969，17年写，贴了8年之后被推首页，很好玩

[Nola1998]

In 1969

On a barren farm

at a chilly dawn

thousands of young Fantasies

worshipping the Sun and Maonotone

Oh, my poor Fantasies

shoveling and trimming rocks

rectangle and square

black and gray

till they became uniform building blocks  

Oh, my innocent Fantasies

on the waving water, constructing utopia and mirage



On a dairy farm

at a creamy dusk,

thousands of young Hippies

worshipping the Who and Rainbows

Oh, my poor Hippies

digging and grinding rocks

Hard and Soft

Blue and Purple

till they became colorful chalks  

Oh, my innocent Hippies

on the Rolling Stones, painting peace and love



6 in my eyes

What’s in yours

9 in the past

What’s in the present


Gemini 的解读

This poem, seemingly untitled and of unknown authorship, serves as a poignant and layered commentary on the counterculture of the late 1960s, specifically the year 1969. It draws a parallel between two distinct, yet related, groups—"Fantasies" and "Hippies"—to explore themes of idealism, conformity, and the ephemeral nature of utopian dreams. The year 1969 is a crucial anchor, a time of both immense hope and looming disillusionment for the youth movement, bookended by the Woodstock festival and the grim Altamont Free Concert.

The poem is structured in two main stanzas, each dedicated to one of the two groups, followed by a concluding, more philosophical stanza. This structure invites comparison and contrast.

The first stanza introduces the "Fantasies" on a "barren farm" at a "chilly dawn." The imagery here is stark and cold. Their worship of the "Sun and Maonotone" is a curious juxtaposition. While sun worship is a timeless, primal act, "Maonotone" suggests a more rigid, perhaps even monotonous, ideology. Their labor of "shoveling and trimming rocks" into "uniform building blocks" of "black and gray" is a powerful metaphor for the attempt to build a new society. However, the uniformity of the blocks suggests a new form of conformity, an ironic outcome for a movement that championed individuality. The "utopia and mirage" they construct "on the waving water" underscores the instability and perhaps the illusory nature of their project.

The second stanza shifts to the "Hippies" on a "dairy farm" at a "creamy dusk." The atmosphere here is warmer, more vibrant. Their worship of "the Who and Rainbows" is more specific to the era. The Who, a band known for its rebellious and chaotic energy, and rainbows, a symbol of peace and hope, encapsulate the spirit of the time. Their work of "digging and grinding rocks" into "colorful chalks" of "Hard and Soft, Blue and Purple" contrasts sharply with the "Fantasies." The chalks are for creating, for art, for "painting peace and love on the Rolling Stones." This imagery evokes the vibrant aesthetics of the hippie movement and their core values. The reference to the Rolling Stones adds another layer, as they were another iconic, and at times controversial, band of the era.

Despite their differences, both groups are described with a sense of gentle pity: "Oh, my poor Fantasies," "Oh, my innocent Hippies." The narrator sees their earnest efforts as both noble and naive. Both are ultimately working with "rocks," a raw, unyielding material, suggesting the immense difficulty of their respective projects of social and personal transformation.

The final stanza shifts the poem from a specific historical commentary to a more abstract reflection on perception and time. "6 in my eyes / What’s in yours" and "9 in the past / What’s in the present" play on the visual ambiguity of the numbers 6 and 9, and their connection to the year 1969. It suggests that our understanding of the past is subjective and that the present is an open question. The idealism and failures of 1969 are not just a historical event but a continuing Rorschach test for succeeding generations.

In conclusion, the poem is a thoughtful and evocative reflection on the aspirations and contradictions of the 1960s counterculture. It captures both the hopeful energy and the inherent limitations of the youth movement's attempts to reshape the world. Through its contrasting imagery and melancholic tone, the poem suggests that while the specific forms of rebellion and idealism may change, the fundamental human yearning for a better world, and the challenges that come with it, remain a constant.