In an off moment, I remember

在生活的縫隙中想起

Shanghai’s frigid air, steam

那年在上海

shimmered iridescent with cooking oil.

倥偬間的一點油光

We’d ducked into a small restaurant,

在寒冷的空氣裏泛著異彩

amid its vapors

讓我們停下來

sipping a big bowl

鑽進一爿小店

of chicken-duck-blood soup.

在升騰的霧氣裏

Sweet on the tongue,

呷一大碗

but underneath, something bloody.

雞鴨血湯

We raised our heads,

感覺舌底甜甜

lips glittering.

有一股微腥氣味

抬頭見彼此

Now we’ve tasted all the city flavors,

唇間的光點

the roadside dust of those days

不停地眨著眼睛

pressed to shale,

still that bloody taste,

如今遍嘗城市的味道

the loud, greasy fat,

道旁的塵埃壓成時間的頁岩

uncertain, hurried steps.

難忍的又豈是浮游的腥膻呢

館肆叫囂的膏脂

Sometimes I want serenity,

糾結來回的步履

a simple bowl of soup,

有時我想沉著

no ripples,

如一碗素淨的湯

holding close

不起漪淪

all it embraces.

只守住

懷抱的所有

In your hands a tureen,

eggdrop soup with pickle and minced pork,

卻見你捧來一大碗

a little heat lurking in the placid taste,

榨菜肉絲蛋花湯

on its calm surface

平和的味道裏有微辛

two gleams of tinted oil.

靜靜的水面浮著

Through curtained years,

兩瓣油彩

a shining gaze.

透過重重年月向我

不停地眨著眼睛