Above All Death

By Cheng Lie

for the souls that passed away in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami

Because devout hands are another kind of light
people yesterday became the most lonely residents in the city
lying sideways in endless hall of the evening,  asking slowly,
until their sightless eyelids are combined with the still dusk.

At the moment, definite marble seemed to faintly show death lily
with evidence of the fall of flesh, humble and bashful
that would be thrown into grave, and even
the dismay that felled on the victim's forehead unrepeatable.

The only location where the deceased could bow down
was detained at this large cemetery in Indian Ocean,
had the key in hand to the darkness and destiny
and was master of more wronged souls beneath silent projection.

Every silence would dissolve into the infinite pause of the night,
a mercy inscription made the great perfection of the dead
it matched this ending then bade them adieu
this is only a generous gift from death, not oblivion.

The repetition of so many dead, life tired them out
uncontrolled desires,  judgement and punishment
came with  impermanence,  then went to dust
this is the predestined fate.

When illusion of the earth has followed its reincarnation,
and finally, the crowd will sleep where night and day falling vacant;
at the moment when the door of feeling is closed,
only a doing nothing time is the eternal life we know.

2005/ translated by Chen Zihong

在一切死亡之上

程烈

    为2004年印度洋海啸中逝去的魂灵

因为虔诚的双手是另一种光
昨天的人成为这城里最寂寞的居民
横在傍晚无渊的厅堂慢慢发问，
直到失明的眼睑与静止的冥色合而为一。

此刻，确凿的大理石仿佛隐现的死亡百合
掌握着肉身没落的证据和谦卑的拘谨
要一条条扔进坟墓，甚至还有
低伏在死者前额不会重复的惊愕。

令死者唯一俯首称臣的地点
凝滞在印度洋这座大坟场，
占据了黑暗和宿命之门的钥匙
以及沉默的投影里更多含冤的魂灵。

每一个缄默都会溶入黑夜无限的停顿，
慈悲的铭文构成了死者的大圆满
与这结局相吻合然后永久地告别
这仅仅是死亡慷慨的馈赠，绝非遗忘。

这么多死者的重复，生的厌烦
无穷无尽的欲望、宣判还有惩罚
随无常而来，归尘土而去
这便是万物的劫数。

当尘世的幻象已归轮回所属，芸芸众生
最终将安睡在夜与昼永恒的缺席之间；
在感觉之门关闭的那一刹那
唯有无为的时间才是已知的不死。

2005年