母亲们的手

        彝人的母亲死了，在火葬的时候，她的身子
永远是侧向右睡的，听任说那是因为，她还要用
自己的左手，到神灵世界去纺线。
                                      ―――题记

就这样向右悄悄地睡去
睡成一条长长的河流
睡成一架绵绵的山脉
许多人都看见了
她睡在那里
于是山的女儿和山的儿子们
便走向那看不见海的岸
岸上有一条美人鱼
当液态的土地沉下去
身后立起一块沉默的礁石
这时独有一只古老的歌曲
拖着一弯最纯洁的月牙
就这样向右悄悄地睡去
在清清的风中
在的雨里
让淡淡的雾笼罩
让白白的运萦绕
无论是在静静的黎明
还是在迷人的黄昏
一切都成了冰冷的雕像
只有她的左手还漂浮着
皮肤上一定用温度

血管里一定有血流
就这样向右悄悄地睡去
多么像一条美人鱼
多么像一弯纯洁的月牙
多么像一块沉默的礁石
她睡在土地和天空之间
她睡在死亡和生命的高处
因此江河才在她身下照样流着
因此森林才在她身下照样长着
因此山岩才在她身下照样站着
因此我苦难而又甜蜜的民族
才这样哭着，才这样喊着，才这样唱着

就这样向右悄悄地睡去
世间的一切都要消失
在浩瀚的苍穹中
在不死的记忆里
只有她的左手还漂浮着
那么温柔，那么美丽，那么自由

The Hands of Our Mothers

When a Yi mother is dead and cremated, she always
 lies on her right side. This is because, so it is said, she is
going to spin with her left hand in the divine world.
                                           --------A note on the title

Sleeping quietly like this on her right side
Like a flowing long river
Like a rolling mountain range
She is seen by many
Lying asleep there
So the offspring of mountains
Walk towards the shore with no sea in sight
Where a mermaid lies
When the liquid earth sinks
And behind it a silent reef rises
There is only an ancient song

There must be blood surging in her veins
Sleeping like this on her right side
Very much like a mermaid
Very much like a silent reef
She lies between heaven and earth
Thus rivers have flowed beneath her
Forests have grown beneath her
Mountains have stood beneath her
And my suffering yet happy people
Have kept crying, yelling and singing

Sleeping like this on her right side
All on earth will vanish
But in the vast expanse of skies
In the undying memory
Her left hand alone will keep floating
So gentle, so graceful and so free

Setting off a bright crescent moon
Sleeping quietly like this on her right side
In the cool breeze
In the fine drizzle
Shrouded in thin mist
Girded with white cloud
No matter at the quiet dawn
Or at the enchanting dusk
When everything’s transformed into an icy sculpture
She keeps only her left hand floating
Her skin must be still warm