THE SHAPE OF THE OCEAN

Every time you ask about the shape of an ocean
I should bring you two bags of ocean water.
This is ocean's shape, like a pair of eyes,
or the shape of ocean that eyes have seen. You touch them, as if wiping away
two burning tears, as tears are the ocean’s shape, too, the clarity
springing from the same soul.
Putting the bags together will not
make the ocean wider. They are still fresh,
as if two non-fish will soon swim out.
You sprinkle the water to the sand of flour,
the bread, also, is the shape of the ocean.
Before you slice it with a sharp sail
it leaves, like a departing boat. The plastic bags
left on the table also have the ocean's shape, flat
with tides retreating from the beaches.
When the real tide goes away
there’s salt left, shaped as the ocean too.
You don't believe? I should bring you a bag
of water and a bag of sand, the shape of ocean.
You affirm, you deny; then you non-affirm,
and non-deny? Go on and try out yourself,
as this is your shape too. But you say
“I’m only the image of myself.”

海的形状

海的形状

你每次问我海的形状时，
我都应该拎回两袋海水。
这是海的形状，像一对眼睛；
或者是眼睛看到的海的形状。
你去摸它，像是去擦拭
两滴滚烫的眼泪。
这也是海的形状。它的透明
涌自同一个更深的心灵。
即使把两袋水加一起，不影响
它的宽广。它们仍然很新鲜，
仿佛就会游出两尾非鱼。
你用它浇细沙似的面粉，
锻炼的面包，也是海的形状。
还未用利帆切开时，
已像一艘远去的轮船。
桌上剩下的这对塑料袋，
也是海的形状。在变扁，
像潮水慢慢退下了沙滩。
真正的潮水退下沙滩时，
献上的盐，也是海的形状。
你不信？我应该拎回一袋水，
一袋沙。这也是海的形状。
你肯定，否定；又不肯定，
不否定？你自己反复实验吧。
这也是你的形状。但你说，
“我只是我的形象。”