引子
七十年代未禁煙，世人還未視吸煙乃洪水猛獸，醫生還未把所有絕症歸咎於抽菸。某煙草公司創造了一個卡通人物，Old Joe Camel, 駱駝Joe 戴黑眼鏡，抽香菸，全身散發着一股smooth character 氣質。市場競爭者要用 Old Joe Camel 與 Marlboro Man 牛仔鬼一較高下。萬寶路人勇敢粗獷，Wild Wild West 墾荒人是美國人心目中的英雄。市場調查結果: 駱駝Joe大勝萬寶路人，Joe的形象深入民心，尤其年輕人，看到Old Joe是桌球高手，香車美人且擁有私人飛機，無憂無慮地享受醇酒佳餚人生，大多數人想當Old Joe，那有心機做翻山涉水，用牛仔繩圈捕野馬的萬寶路 “英雄”。
(一) 我是在那時候搬進這兩房一廳的房子，也是那時候認識Old Joe的。房子小，但前園大，非要花王打理不行。Joe是以前屋主的花王，他便順理成章地做了我的花王。閱讀全文
《羊石雜詠十絕 (1921)》 《Ten Poems at Goat City》
(2)
晚風涼抹粉牆東 Evening breezes cool the white walls east
碎步微吟韻小蟲 I amble singing to rhyme with insect songs at ease
為數歸鴻抬星眼 To count how many geese are returning I eye the sky
一枝春在小樓紅 A single flowering branch shows at my bower nigh
(3) Continue reading
《調笑令‧會場素描》《Tune: For a Laugh–Scene of a Meeting》
頭重 Heads heavy
頭重 Heads heavy
四個小時聽眾 A four-hour long listening audience
腰斜眼倦腸饑 Bodies bent eyes tired and guts empty
左手頻看計時 Peeping at the watch frequently
時計 Watch peeping
時計 Watch peeping
有點猿心馬意 Monkey thoughts and steed images wandering Continue reading
《無題》佛鑑慧懃（元1320-1376）《No Title》Fu Jian
堂堂氣宇走雷霆 Head held high his charisma commands thundering
凜凜威風掬霜雪 His solemn air heralds frost and snow winds blowing
將軍下令斬荊蠻 The general orders the execution of men evil
神劍一揮千裏血 His sword swings up a thousand mile of blood-flow Continue reading
《無題》法眼文益 (五代 885-958)《No Title》Fa Yan
擁毳對芳叢 On my monk coat I watch flowers bloom
由來趣不同 Perception follows values of my own
發從今日白 My hair grey from today on
花是去年紅 Red flowers bloom in years prolong Continue reading
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《無題》濟顛道濟 (1150-1209)《No Title》Ji Dian Daoji
出岸桃花紅錦英 Marking the river banks red peach blossoms burn blight
夾堤楊柳綠絲輕 Willow tendrils wave on the dyke tender green and light
遙看白鷺窺魚處 Where a white crane picks up a fish and flies away
立破平湖一點青 The water stirred and returns to its usual way Continue reading
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《菩提》惠能(638-713) 《Bodhi》Hui Neng, Sixth Chan Patriarch
菩提本無樹 Bodhi dwells not on trees
明鏡亦非台 Mirror reflections not illusion free
本來無一物 Buddha is serene always
何處惹塵埃 Dusts gather in no place Continue reading
《秋夜醉歸有感》《Returning Home Drunk in an Autumn Night》Mao Rong (Tang Dynasty)
銜杯誰道易更闌 Who says drinking hard can quell sadness in an autumn night
沈醉歸來不自歡 I return from the tavern drunk my sorrow still in bind
惆悵後時孤劍冷 Feeling helpless I stare at my sword idly hung on wall
寂寥無寐一燈殘 Sleepless I sit keeping company with my lamp fire in stall Continue reading