午間。村莊慢慢沉入

Noon. The village sinks

明亮的深夜。

into bright midnight.

穿堂風掠過歇晌漢子的脊梁

In the room, a draft coasts the spine of a dozing man,

躺在炕席上的母親奶著孩子

the woman lying on a

芬芳的身體與大地平行。

kang

知了叫著。驢子在槽頭

-mat, her child at her breast,

甩動尾巴驅趕蚊蠅。

their fragrant bodies aligned with earth.

絲瓜架下，一群雛雞臥在陰影裏

Cicadas drone. At the head of the trough a donkey

間或骨碌著金色的眼珠。

flicks its tail at mosquitoes and flies.

這一切細小的響動——

Under a squash trellis, a covey of chicks loll in the shadows,

——世界深沉的寂靜。

their gold eyes now and then revolving.

The faint sounds of such motions—

the deepest silence in the world.