傾倒茶壺內的語言

Burbling its verb

冒出裊裊白煙

poured from the teapot,

從此刻起逐漸冷卻

white steam rises

那簡短的對答像幾聲錚錝弦音

before it cools.

還餘下多少時間

A short dialogue with air,

凝結的空氣就溶化為水？

chordal as plucked strings.

移動的秒針

How long until

指向最後一班開出的車

these notes resolve as water?

Toward the day’s last bus

靜物開始移動

the second hand advances.

畫中的花卉也瘋狂地

移近太陽

Still lives alter.

但二人仍然靜止

Even in a painting,

女子看錶

motionless flowers

男子唱家鄉的曲

twist sunward.

為失去的分秒配上歌詞

She checks her watch,

he hums a song from his hometown,

藉著午後斜射的陽光

filling final moments with its tune.

看見室內各式物件

明亮而整齊

In the slant light of afternoon

二人被照亮了一半的臉

objects in the room

總在說話時稍微改換角度

look bright and ordered.

明亮了一些，同時幽暗了另一些

The man’s and woman’s shining faces

悄悄地把說出的話

shift in conversation,

放入另一邊臉的陰影裏去

one angle gleaming, one gone dim,

their words sliding

傾斜，再傾斜

from the light.

二人的影蓋在桌上

再移到地上

Slant, more slant.

趁著還有光

Shadows on the table

它的期限都寫在窗邊

slowly claim the floor,

二人不動的影暫作地面的雲

shadow clouding shadow.

雲影下面再有

The terms for what is left

另一對傾斜的影

are written on the window.