The Gardener and the Maple in the Lord's Garden: A Poetic Remembrance of Brother Justin Ching-Lin Wang《主園中的園丁與楓樹: 以詩意追思王清臨》

Wang, Lawrence K. 王抗曝 (2026), “The Gardener and the Maple in the Lord's Garden: A Poetic Remembrance of Brother Justin Ching-Lin Wang”《主園中的園丁與楓樹: 以詩意追思王清臨》, Global Humanities and Liberal Arts, Lenox Institute Press, MA, USA. 2026(10F); 56 pages. ABSTRACT: This article commemorates Justin Ching-Lin Wang (1933–2026) and expresses gratitude to all members of Ascension Chinese Mission, relatives, and friends, recording the love, companionship, prayers, and practical assistance they offered following his death. All three of the author Lawrence K. Wang’s elder brothers have passed away, and he is now the oldest surviving sibling among the nine siblings in his family. Accordingly, the complete acknowledgments form Chapter One, preserving the participation and contributions of relatives and friends. The memorial poems serve as a complement to this remembrance. Justin was born on March 11, 1933, in Jiangshan, Zhejiang Province, China, the third son of Wang Puchen and Zhu Xiuyu. He experienced war and displacement, studied in Taiwan, and later pursued further education in the United States. He lived for many years in Houston, Texas, where he and his wife, Juliana Chu Wang, raised three sons. The family obituary records their involvement in Ascension Chinese Mission and its choir. Justin died on August 29, 2026, and his funeral Mass was held on October 16. The article also records changes in a maple tree that the author personally observed at his home in Latham, New York. When his brother died in late August, the old maple began shedding its leaves. Before the funeral Mass on October 16, all its leaves had fallen, while the surrounding maples were only beginning to turn yellow and red. The timing of the leaf loss is based on direct observation; the maple’s “departure” is a poetic remembrance, not a claim of a religious miracle. Justin was a devout Catholic. The imagery of “the Lord’s garden” is retained to honor his faith and express the author’s remembrance of his brother, rather than to declare the author’s religious identity. The article includes the author’s original poems, “The Gardener and the Maple in the Lord’s Garden” and “God’s Will.” KEYWORDS: Acknowledgments; family memory; Ascension Chinese Mission; life writing; Catholic faith; autumn observations; prose poetry; memorial poetry; poetic remembrance; the Lord’s garden; maple tree; gardener. ABSTRACT: 本文旨在紀念王清臨(1933—2026),並向美華天主堂全體成員、親屬與朋友表達謝意,記錄他們在清臨兄離世後所給予的愛、陪伴、祈禱與實際協助。作者王抗曝的三位兄長均已離世,現為家中九位兄弟姊妹之中最年長的在世者。因此,本文以完整的致謝文字作為第一章,保存各家親友的參與及付出;紀念詩則作為追思的輔助。清臨兄於1933年3月11日出生於中國浙江省江山市,為王蒲臣與朱秀毓的第三子。他經歷戰亂與遷徙,於臺灣求學,後赴美深造,長年在德州休士頓生活,與妻子朱華育有三子。家屬訃聞記錄兩人參與美華天主堂及唱詩班的經歷。 清臨兄於2026年8月29日離世,殯葬彌撒於10月16日舉行。本文亦記錄作者在紐約州雷森市自宅親眼所見的楓樹變化:在兄長於8月底離世時,老楓樹開始落葉;到了10月16日殯葬彌撒之前,葉子已全部落盡,而周圍的楓樹才開始轉黃、轉紅。落葉的時序是實際觀察;「楓樹歸去」則是詩意追思,並非宗教奇蹟的主張。清臨兄是虔誠天主教徒。本文保留「主的花園」意象,以尊重兄長的信仰並表達手足追思,而非宣示作者的宗教身分。本文包括作者的原創詩作:《主園中的園丁與楓樹》;和《上帝的旨意》。關鍵詞: 致謝;家族記憶;美華天主堂;生命書寫;天主教信仰;秋日觀察; 散文詩,紀念詩;詩意追思; 主的花園; 楓樹; 園丁.