Fan Jinghua: Song of Blind Beggars

　　Song of Blind Beggars

Vagabonds we are, tramping the darkness
In broad daylight, for life
And for the hardship of living and companion;
You may say we are also skywalkers,
Blind and destination-free.

We each have a bamboo walking stick, but we also use
Another stick, a wooden pole, to get us connected,
One meter apart, straight.
It has no bark, will not take in water,
And will never turn green again;
It is smooth and clean, thick to a full hold,
Its weight giving us a feel but not a load.
It will not crook or bend, so when walking one behind another
We may still keep step.

It must appear to be insecure
To be yoked to each other by a stick,
But it saves us from falling into a ditch together,
Even if we may stumble with the other.
We keep talking and humming or even making noises
To tell the other we are still walking along.
We do not imitate the rustles of leaves or the whistles of winds
For fear that this would accidentally trigger the eyelid of a legend
That a bagger may ride the wind and return to the Hall of Immortals.

You see, we rarely hold hands, for it is more difficult to walk
Than for the people with a good sight.
We learn what’s going on there at the other end
By changing the ends of the pole,
As we have agreed we are obliged, if either feels like.
Feeling the warmth of the other, one becomes another
In the duet with oneself.
We have a big repertoire of songs, but mostly
They are about love out of the eyes, so we do not really sing;
We are not two dead grasshoppers tied to one string,
As any eyes can see.
　　　　　　　　　Oct. 10-11, 2007

　　盲乞丐之歌

就这么走，走到哪儿算哪，终生
为了活命，一步一步丈量光天化日下的黑，
而能有一个同伴一起活在黑暗中更不容易；
可以说，我们也是天行者，只是
盲目，连目的地也很自由。

各自拿一根细竹子当拐杖，
却另用一根小木棍
将我们连在一起，保持一米的直线距离。
没有皮，不会浸水，也不会再次返青；
光滑、干净、满满的一握；它实心，
那重量令我们的手自然下垂，而不感到下坠；
它不会弯曲变形，即使我们一前一后
也能保持步调一致。

我们明白在人们看来，用一根小棍
将两人锔到一起，没什么安全感可言，
但这使得我们即使会因为对方摔倒而站不稳，
却不会一起掉进路边的沟渠。
我们不停地说话或者哼着小调，有时只是发出一些噪音
不是因为无聊，而是为了让另一个知道
我们在同行。
但我们从不模仿树叶的飒飒声也不模仿风的呼啸，
以免意外地触动那个传说的机关，
使一个乞丐提前乘风而去，飞升成仙。

我们很少牵手，也许眼观四方的人不会明白，
那样走路实际上很不方便。
我们只需将木棍换过来握，就会了解另一头的感受；
握着另一种温度，会感到另一个人
就像一首内心二重唱中的另一个自己。
我们会很多首歌，但歌词大多数是关于出自眼睛的爱，
因此我们至多哼哼那调子；
我们可不是穿在一根绳上的两只蚂蚱，
这一点只要是眼睛都应该看得明白。
　　　　　　　　2007年10月11日