The Changing Room: Selected poetry of Zhai Yongming

The Language of the 50s

154 五十年代的语言 生于五十年代 我们说的 就是这种语言 如今 它们变成段子 在晚宴上 被一道一道地 端了上来 那些红旗、传单 暴戾的形象 那些 双手紧扣的皮带 和嗜血的口号 已僵硬倒下 那些施虐受虐的对象 他们不再回来 而整整一代的爱情 已被阉割 也不再回来 生于五十年代 但 我们已不再说那些语言 正如我们也不再说“爱” 所有的发声、词组和语气 都在席间跳跃着发黄 他们都不懂 他们年轻的发丝 在阳光下斑斓 象香皂泡 漂浮在我的身边 他们的脑袋一律低垂着 他们的姆指比其它手指繁忙 短信息 QQ 还有一种象形字母: 生于五十年代 我们也必须学会 在天上飞奔的语言 155 tHe LAnGUAGe oF tHe ’50s Born in the ’50s that’s the language We speak these days it’s the stuff of stand-up at dinner parties where it’s served Line by line those red flags, leaflets Violent images those Belts pulled taught by stalwart thumbs and those bloodthirsty slogans have been brought down hard the victimizers and victims are gone for good the love of an entire generation has been castrated gone for good Born in the ’50s but We’ll never use that language again Just as we’ll never say “love” again every act of speech, each phrase and tone capers about yellowed with age at dinner parties none of them understands their youthful hair Shines multicolored in the sun like soap bubbles Floating beside us they bow their heads in unison their thumbs busier than their other digits texting on QQ and there’s a symbolic typography too: Born in the ’50s We too need to learn that language flying around the ether 156 所有那些失落的字词 只在个别时候活过来 它们象撒帐时落下的葡萄、枸杞和大枣 落在了我们的床笫之间 当我喃喃自语 一字一字地说出 我的男友听懂了 它们 因此变得猩红如血 157 all of those vanished words Lived at a particular time Like the grapes, wolfberries and dates scattered on our marriage bed they fall between the sheets and when i murmur speaking each word one by one my boyfriend understands and they turn the vivid red of blood ...