Liaodong Tianlai: A Day of Symmetry

小饮译


20211202, I wrote down
This symmetric set of numbers
Which can represent this only
But not special day
It seems that both yesterday and tomorrow
Could be symmetrical with today
Nothing more than some
Regular and meaningless repetitions
The sun coming warm up on the roof
The snow water jumping to the ground breaks into pieces
I don’t know whether the moment they coagulates again
And is shone by the moon
Could find symmetry in this very moment
Whether those on the go in the daytime
Could find respective symmetries
In the crowded wandering ghosts late at night
Whether the expansive life
Could find symmetry in the endless death
What I know is that you and I are symmetrical
You are who you are, and I who I am
But when it comes to life and death, you and I are exactly the same

（中译英）


对称日

辽东天赖


20211202，我写下的
这组对称数字
可以代表这唯一
却并不特别的一天
昨日和明日
好像都可以和今日对称
无非是一些
有规律无意义的重复
阳光热腾腾爬上屋顶
雪水跳下来肝脑涂地
不知它们再度凝结的身体
被月光照到的那刻
是否能对称此刻
不知白日间奔走的行人
是否能对称
深夜里熙攘的游魂
不知这辽阔无垠的生
是否能对称那无穷无尽的死
唯知你我是对称的
虽然你就是你，我就是我
既投身于生死，你我便别无二致


Liaodong Tianlai: Another Letter on Dragon Boat Festival

小饮译


Again I got through
Such a treacherous spring
The leap of April is like a delay
But Dragon Boat Festival is coming at last
It rained for two days and the forecast says
It will be sunny on the festival
Should you come, I would give a feast in the yard
And you would be accompanied not just by me, but by a hibiscus
With several wine glasses
The eggs of different kinds I prepare
Could be fried with balsam pear, and chicory eaten raw with dipping sauce
Bitter things get rid of internal heat
Which is like fighting fire with fire
The summer solstice having passed, the length of day varies
You’d better get here before it’s too late
Prior to sunrise, I’ll make water with mugwort
To expel evil spirits and wash away
Your old hatred and grief

（中译英）


端午又寄

辽东天赖


又熬过去了
那么凶险的春天
闰四月像是拖延的时段
不过五月节还是说来就来
雨下了两日，预报说
端午当是晴天
你来，又可以当庭摆酒
陪你的不光是我，还有位木槿
她自带着几个酒杯
我所备的蛋类齐全
可与苦瓜同炒；苦苣则要蘸酱生吃
苦味东西去火
相当于以毒攻毒
已过了夏至，时日长短说变就变
你来，最好趁早来
日出之前，我会泡好艾草水
可以辟邪却鬼，可以洗去
你的宿怨和悲伤


Liaodong Tianlai: The Cuckoo’s Call

小饮译


Never have I seen it before
Neither have I heard its wet calls
Cuckoo, cuckoo......
Who knows whether it is calling itself
Or just giving a lonely sigh
Those who don’t understand can only feel its sadness
Those who do understand keep its identity as a poet secret
— Picking out of the valley
Ethereal sentences, one by one
It kneads them into the long echo of one’s childhood
The moment it starts to call, a thick layer of them falls under the peach tree
In this world locked in misty rain
I’m still the one standing in the fallen petals
Not knowing what to do. I’m always waiting
For a silvery call
To hand over a wet and glittering key
From the depths of the clouds

（中译英）


布谷鸟的啼声

辽东天赖


从未见过它的身影
只听过它湿漉漉的鸣叫
不古，不古......
谁知道是呼唤自己
还是孤独的叹息
不懂的仅能体会它的忧伤
懂它的，为它的诗人身份保密
——它从山谷中掏出
一个个空灵的句子
并揉进童年悠长的回音
一出口，桃树下便落了厚厚一层
在这雨雾锁住的尘世
我还是落花中那个
手足无措的人，我总是在等
等一声清亮的啼鸣
从云的深处，递过来
一把湿漉漉的
闪光的钥匙

Liaodong Tianlai: A Day of Symmetry

小饮译


20211202, I wrote down
This symmetric set of numbers
Which can represent this only
But not special day
It seems that both yesterday and tomorrow
Could be symmetrical with today
Nothing more than some
Regular and meaningless repetitions
The sun coming warm up on the roof
The snow water jumping to the ground breaks into pieces
I don’t know whether the moment they coagulates again
And is shone by the moon
Could find symmetry in this very moment
Whether those on the go in the daytime
Could find respective symmetries
In the crowded wandering ghosts late at night
Whether the expansive life
Could find symmetry in the endless death
What I know is that you and I are symmetrical
You are who you are, and I who I am
But when it comes to life and death, you and I are exactly the same

（中译英）


对称日

辽东天赖


20211202，我写下的
这组对称数字
可以代表这唯一
却并不特别的一天
昨日和明日
好像都可以和今日对称
无非是一些
有规律无意义的重复
阳光热腾腾爬上屋顶
雪水跳下来肝脑涂地
不知它们再度凝结的身体
被月光照到的那刻
是否能对称此刻
不知白日间奔走的行人
是否能对称
深夜里熙攘的游魂
不知这辽阔无垠的生
是否能对称那无穷无尽的死
唯知你我是对称的
虽然你就是你，我就是我
既投身于生死，你我便别无二致


Liaodong Tianlai: Another Letter on Dragon Boat Festival

小饮译


Again I got through
Such a treacherous spring
The leap of April is like a delay
But Dragon Boat Festival is coming at last
It rained for two days and the forecast says
It will be sunny on the festival
Should you come, I would give a feast in the yard
And you would be accompanied not just by me, but by a hibiscus
With several wine glasses
The eggs of different kinds I prepare
Could be fried with balsam pear, and chicory eaten raw with dipping sauce
Bitter things get rid of internal heat
Which is like fighting fire with fire
The summer solstice having passed, the length of day varies
You’d better get here before it’s too late
Prior to sunrise, I’ll make water with mugwort
To expel evil spirits and wash away
Your old hatred and grief

（中译英）


端午又寄

辽东天赖


又熬过去了
那么凶险的春天
闰四月像是拖延的时段
不过五月节还是说来就来
雨下了两日，预报说
端午当是晴天
你来，又可以当庭摆酒
陪你的不光是我，还有位木槿
她自带着几个酒杯
我所备的蛋类齐全
可与苦瓜同炒；苦苣则要蘸酱生吃
苦味东西去火
相当于以毒攻毒
已过了夏至，时日长短说变就变
你来，最好趁早来
日出之前，我会泡好艾草水
可以辟邪却鬼，可以洗去
你的宿怨和悲伤


Liaodong Tianlai: The Cuckoo’s Call

小饮译


Never have I seen it before
Neither have I heard its wet calls
Cuckoo, cuckoo......
Who knows whether it is calling itself
Or just giving a lonely sigh
Those who don’t understand can only feel its sadness
Those who do understand keep its identity as a poet secret
— Picking out of the valley
Ethereal sentences, one by one
It kneads them into the long echo of one’s childhood
The moment it starts to call, a thick layer of them falls under the peach tree
In this world locked in misty rain
I’m still the one standing in the fallen petals
Not knowing what to do. I’m always waiting
For a silvery call
To hand over a wet and glittering key
From the depths of the clouds

（中译英）


布谷鸟的啼声

辽东天赖


从未见过它的身影
只听过它湿漉漉的鸣叫
不古，不古......
谁知道是呼唤自己
还是孤独的叹息
不懂的仅能体会它的忧伤
懂它的，为它的诗人身份保密
——它从山谷中掏出
一个个空灵的句子
并揉进童年悠长的回音
一出口，桃树下便落了厚厚一层
在这雨雾锁住的尘世
我还是落花中那个
手足无措的人，我总是在等
等一声清亮的啼鸣
从云的深处，递过来
一把湿漉漉的
闪光的钥匙