Fan Jinghua: Soulmate

　　　　Soulmate

You are almost half a day’s away,
And for a whole morning I brew the mood
To visit you, as if picking up a stray path.
In twilight I see your lone figure
Standing in a crossroad near your home, waiting.

We do not hug, not even holding hands,
As if neighbors greet over a hedge.
You say the glutinous porridge is just right,
And bats fly low, while we are lower,
Drinking marguerite tea, words sinking in our cups.

By midnight, the stars are getting cold, and we
Turn in, facing each other from opposite twin beds,
Or on a double bed, digesting the darkness.
From far away, you ask: who are you?
And I ask back, along your voice: who is the “you” of you?

I do not often come to you,
And you receive me as if I were another,
As if I had come from the future or the past.
We know we know each other for many years but not by names,
We know each other’s body warmth but not sex.
　　　　　　　　　　　　August 17, 2008


　　知己
你离我将近半天的距离
我用了一个上午酝酿心情
顶着中午的困倦与烈日
走向你，在苍茫时分远远望见
你在门前的路口等我

我们没有拥抱甚至没有握手
犹如邻居隔着篱笆打招呼
你说稀饭的温度与浓稠刚刚合适
而蝙蝠低飞，我们更低
喝菊花茶，话在杯子里下沉

入夜，星冷了
我们在两张床上相对而眠
或许在一张床上相拥，消化黑夜
很久，你从远处飘来一句：你是谁呢
我沿着你的声音传回一句：你的我是谁呢

我只是极偶尔才拜访你
你像接待另一个人一样接待我
犹如我来自过去或者未来
我们知道我们已认识多年，却没有名字
我们感受彼此的体温，却没有性别
　　　　　　　　　　　2008年8月18日