在生活的縫隙中想起

In an off moment, I remember

那年在上海

Shanghai’s frigid air, steam

倥偬間的一點油光

shimmered iridescent with cooking oil.

在寒冷的空氣裏泛著異彩

We’d ducked into a small restaurant,

讓我們停下來

amid its vapors

鑽進一爿小店

sipping a big bowl

在升騰的霧氣裏

of chicken-duck-blood soup.

呷一大碗

Sweet on the tongue,

雞鴨血湯

but underneath, something bloody.

感覺舌底甜甜

We raised our heads,

有一股微腥氣味

lips glittering.

抬頭見彼此

唇間的光點

Now we’ve tasted all the city flavors,

不停地眨著眼睛

the roadside dust of those days

pressed to shale,

如今遍嘗城市的味道

still that bloody taste,

道旁的塵埃壓成時間的頁岩

the loud, greasy fat,

難忍的又豈是浮游的腥膻呢

uncertain, hurried steps.

館肆叫囂的膏脂

糾結來回的步履

Sometimes I want serenity,

有時我想沉著

a simple bowl of soup,

如一碗素淨的湯

no ripples,

不起漪淪

holding close

只守住

all it embraces.

懷抱的所有

In your hands a tureen,

卻見你捧來一大碗

eggdrop soup with pickle and minced pork,

榨菜肉絲蛋花湯

a little heat lurking in the placid taste,

平和的味道裏有微辛

on its calm surface

靜靜的水面浮著

two gleams of tinted oil.

兩瓣油彩

Through curtained years,

透過重重年月向我

a shining gaze.

不停地眨著眼睛