in the ward of the public hospital two rows of chairs

公立醫院病房裏兩排椅子

where patients take their chemo

坐著進行化療的病人

their dated coats the liverish

陳舊黑紫外套似肝膽的藍綠

purpled blues and greens of gall

喉管裏恍惚聽見吐痰聲音

from their throats a phlegmy rattle

滿臉上生命劃下筆筆痕跡

faces racked by life

每人一副機器

each one’s machine

藥液從膠管

runs fluid down a tube

流入手臂針口中

to a needle in the arm

滴答滴答的聲音

ticktack ticktack

這量度生命的節拍

life meters out its beat

帶毒的藥液運進去

poisons seeping in

攻擊有毒的癌細胞

attack the metastases

混濁的空氣帶菌的食物

foul air, tainted food

在城市的血管裏打仗

war in the city’s veins

經歷了許多事情的病人

the patients endure

坐在自己座位上安靜聽著

sitting quietly, listening

滴答滴答的聲音

ticktack ticktack

這牽動生命的節拍

the measure drawn from life

不同的病毒爬進城市的後院

through backyards crawls the virus

紫藍琥珀或是孔雀石綠

purple, blue, amber, Malachite green

城市聆聽著自己的脈膊

the city hears its pulse