Fan Jinghus: Scriptorium

　　Scriptorium

Seven steps of life and what’s beyond it.
Full of elements here. Water-clock, inkwells,
And stacks of parchment smelling of warm camphor.
Sunlight is shut out in heavens by the mosaic high window,
A sword of light prospecting this pit, inch by inch.
After birds are gone with their cries, songs echo,
With a time lag, wiggling the self-feeding oil lamp.
The man snails to avoid the spotlight, sitting
On the indoor steps to the niche on the wall,
His white swan quill sharp like a chisel, writing
As if tracing the blank ruts of the black death-cart:
"How do you dare? Do you dare me for a duel?"
The lamp-wick coughs and his left fingers feel
The vessels on his right wrist. No more lives beyond this.
　　　　　　　　May 27, 2009


　　　抄经室

七步之室，居住着此生与此生之外的。
这儿，充满了元素。水漏、墨池、
堆积的羊皮纸发出暖暖的樟脑味。
阳光被镶嵌玻璃的高窗阻隔在天上，
投下一把光的剑，一寸一寸地勘探
这洞窟。鸟，随着自己的鸣叫飞去，
留下回响，摇晃着自动添油的灯。
那男人蜗牛般挪动，避开那聚光灯，
坐在墙壁神龛下的室内台阶上，
白色鹅毛笔，如雕刻师的凿刀，
似乎在描着死亡黑马车的无色车辙：
“你真敢啊！你敢挑衅我与你决斗？”
灯芯咳嗽几声，而他的左手指摸到了
右腕的血管。在这之外，没有生命。
　　　　　　　2009年5月28日