The Changing Room: Selected poetry of Zhai Yongming

Chrysanthemum Langerns Go Floating By

122 菊花灯笼漂过来 菊花一点点漂过来 在黑夜 在周围的静 在河岸沉沉的童声里 菊花淡 淡出鸟影 儿童提着灯笼漂过来 他们浅浅的合唱里 没有恐惧 没有嬉戏 没有悲苦 只有菊花灯笼 菊花的淡 灯笼的红 小姐也提着灯笼漂过来 小姐和她的仆从 她们都挽着松松的髻 她们的华服盛装 不过是 丝绸 飘带和扣子 不过是走动时窸窣乱响的 缨络 耳环 钗凤 小姐和小姐的乳娘 她们都是过来人 她们都从容地寻找 在夜半时面对月亮 小姐温柔 灯笼也温柔 她们漂啊漂 她们把平凡的夜 变成非凡的梦游 每天晚上 菊花灯笼漂过来 123 CHRYsAntHeMUM LAnteRns Go FLoAtInG BY chrysanthemums go floating by, dot after dot through the darkness through the enclosing silence Past the muffled voices of children by the river Pale chrysanthemums paleness startling the shadows of birds children holding lanterns float slowly by in their shallow singing there is no fear no play no pain only chrysanthemum lanterns the paleness of chrysanthemums the crimson of lanterns and young ladies holding lanterns float slowly by Young ladies and their servants hair tied in loose knots all of their finery is nothing but Satin sashes and buttons nothing but jingling and jangling tassels earrings phoenix hairpins the young ladies and their nursemaids they’re passers-by they’re seeking in their leisurely way a midnight rendezvous with the moon the girls are gentle the lanterns gentle too they float, o they float they turn an ordinary night into an extraordinary walking dream every night chrysanthemum lanterns float slowly by 124 菊花灯笼的主人 浪迹天涯 他忽快忽慢的脚步 使人追不上 儿童们都跟着他成长 这就是沧海一灯笼的故事 如果我坐在地板上 我会害怕那一股力量 我会害怕那些菊影 光影 人影 我也会忽快忽慢 在房间里丁当作响 如果我坐在沙发或床头 我就会欣赏 我也会感到自已慢慢透明 慢慢变色 我也会终夜含烟 然后 离地而起 125 the master of lanterns wanders far and wide no one can keep up with his uneven pace, now fast now slow the children grow up in his footsteps this is the tale of a lantern on the deep blue sea if i were sitting on the floor i would feel afraid of that breath of power i would feel afraid of those blossom shadows light shadows human shadows and i would give voice, now fast now slow ringing like a bell in the room Sitting on the sofa or the bed it would put me at ease and i’d feel myself slowly turning translucent Slowly changing color holding the smoke inside me all night and then i’d float up from the ground ...