在我的乡下，神仙们坐在穷人的

In my countryside, gods sit in the poor’s

堂屋里，接受了粗茶淡饭。有年冬天

family halls,  they have accepted those

他们围在清冷的香案上，分食着几瓣烤红薯

simple meals. One winter when they gathered

而我小脚的祖母，不管他们是否乐意

on the cold cheerless incense table, sharing a few

就端来一盆清水，擦洗每一张瓷质的脸

pieces of roasted sweet potatoes,

然后，又为我揩净乌黑的唇角

my little-footed grandma, not caring if they liked it or not,

——呃，他们像是一群比我更小

brought a basin of water and washed their ceramic faces

更木讷的孩子，不懂得喊甜

one by one. After that, she cleaned

也不懂喊冷。在乡下

the black residues from the corner of my lips

神，如此朴素

--Yeah, they're like children, even younger than me,

too dumb and dull to say “sweet”

or cry “cold”. In the countryside

gods are so sensible.