公立醫院病房裏兩排椅子

in the ward of the public hospital two rows of chairs

坐著進行化療的病人

where patients take their chemo

陳舊黑紫外套似肝膽的藍綠

their dated coats the liverish

喉管裏恍惚聽見吐痰聲音

purpled blues and greens of gall

滿臉上生命劃下筆筆痕跡

from their throats a phlegmy rattle

每人一副機器

faces racked by life

藥液從膠管

each one’s machine

流入手臂針口中

runs fluid down a tube

滴答滴答的聲音

to a needle in the arm

這量度生命的節拍

ticktack ticktack

帶毒的藥液運進去

life meters out its beat

攻擊有毒的癌細胞

poisons seeping in

混濁的空氣帶菌的食物

attack the metastases

在城市的血管裏打仗

foul air, tainted food

經歷了許多事情的病人

war in the city’s veins

坐在自己座位上安靜聽著

the patients endure

滴答滴答的聲音

sitting quietly, listening

這牽動生命的節拍

ticktack ticktack

不同的病毒爬進城市的後院

the measure drawn from life

紫藍琥珀或是孔雀石綠

through backyards crawls the virus

城市聆聽著自己的脈膊

purple, blue, amber, Malachite green

the city hears its pulse