it is the best flower indeed it is a pity that the ancient poet died prematurely
人面桃花相映红的作者梦中千里
when he got this surprising word in dream
寻得这惊人诗句时当时的扬州
such face peach does not appear
还没有人面桃这种桃树所以
in Yangzhou at that time therefore
当时的人面桃花是借人映花
the face and peach flower are written
以花喻人而已现在的人面桃
to reflect each other’s glow
不仅瘦西湖有扬州的街头
the face peach is not only along Slender West Lake side
巷尾和大运河畔多有栽培
but also everywhere in Yangzhou and by the Grand Canal”
寒暄落坐三俩桃花样的
after greeting we sat down several Yangzhou girls
扬州女子迈曼妙云步
as peach flowers piling in
鱼贯而入玉指柔拨紫砂壶尾
their fingers holding the denophora tea pot
一杯杯清亮诱人的茶水
then cups of limpid and attractive tea
溢着幽香和淡雾
were put on the table before us quietly
悄然降至面前几首
with a delicate fragrance and mist being emitted.
不远处的瘦水之上
On the water of the lake not far away
淡妆的船娘摇着小舟
the boat-lady with light makeup sculling
端坐舟头的官样达人
an official-like man sitting in the bow of the boat
浑身沾满桃花的花瓣
with his whole body covered with peach petals.
于无语之中独自品味着
Silently he is thinking
瘦瘦的湖水可以载舟
the lake water that can load the boat
也可覆舟的怅然
and can also overturn it
一个穿着考究的商贩
a well-dressed peddler
在向我推销郑板桥的
trying to sell me Zheng Banqiao’s calligraphy
难得糊涂
“Where ignorance is bliss，it‘s folly to be wise.”
先生呷了一口清明前的碧螺春
Mr.Ye takes a sip of Biluochun Tea picked before Pure Brightness
人面桃花象征着扬州厚重富有的
“the face peach flower is a symbol
文化底蕴也寄托着扬州人
of the dignified and profound cultural relics of Yangzhou
对桃花的另一种大雅之美的
and of the good endowment of peach flowers
生命赋予说这话时
to the Yangzhou people”while saying this
先生在我的眼里
Mr.Ye has grown into an old peach tree
已经长成一株历经沧桑的
through all the vicissitudes of life
老桃树那是一株
in my eyes that is a snow peach
枝头开满雪白的桃花的雪碧桃
with white peach blossoms on the branches
一株惟一能读懂烟花三月
a snow peach who can understand the early spring
能从文化的层面读懂扬州
and Yangzhou from the aspect of culture
的雪碧桃暖暖的夕阳
in the sunset with warm glory
先生满头让人嫉妒的白发
the enviable white hair of Mr.Ye
正缓慢的由
is changing gradually
一根根银丝渐次
into big white peach flowers
幻化成一朵朵雪白的大桃花
from every silver hair
那就是先生要告诉我的
that is what Mr.Ye wants to tell me
雪碧桃躲在瘦西湖的满园春色里
the snow peach hiding in Slender West Lake，a garden of spring
我暗想一个栽了一生桃树的老人
I think secretly that an old man planting peach trees all his life
一位品了一生诗歌的老人
an old man appreciating poetry all his life
我眼中的一朵最美
in my eyes is the most beautiful
最让人心动的人面桃花
most touching face peach flower
《瘦西湖》
《Slender West Lake》
西湖出嫁前
before marriage the West Lake
把少女的身子
left her maiden body
留在了扬州
to Yangzhou
此后就
from then on
再也没有
she has never
回来过
come back
不信吗
if you don’t believe
你可去问问
you can ask
现任的
the present
扬州
secretary of municipal Party committee
市委书记
of Yangzhou
据说
it is said that
他是一位
he is a man
敢说真话的
who dare to tell
人
Truth
2009-4-10扬州瘦西湖畔？叶橹先生府上草成
April 10，2009at Mr.Ye’s on Slender West Lake side
（Translated by Yang Yuru &；Hu Zongfeng）
010首：我的团长我的团
Statue 10：My Regimental Commander，My Regiment
——写给于坚的诗
To Yu Jian
带着你流着血的诗歌
with your bleeding poetry
从尚义街六号突围出来
you break out from No.6，Shanghai Street
向北一路向北
northward，northward all the way
钢笔是你的重机枪
the pen is your heavy machine gun
彩笔是你的榴弹炮
the colored pen is your howitzer
铅笔是你的冲锋枪
the pencil is your Tommy gun
出昆明过长江
out of Kunming coming across the Yangtze River
逐鹿中原以后你的诗
after chasing the deer on the Central Plains your poetry
从一个班发展到
develops from a squad
一个排再到一个连
to a platoon and then to a company
以后经过华山论剑
through a sward competition on Huashan Mountain
火烧草料场
the burning of hayfield
你就进入了冀中平原
you come into the central plain of Hebei Province
再往前就是霸州
ahead it is Bazhou
再往前就是杨柳青
ahead it is Yangliuqing
再往前就是北京
ahead it is Beijing
其实在你带着你的大队人马
actually before you leading a large contingent of troops
进入北京之前你已经从
to Beijing you have already
班长升为排长升为连长
been promoted from a squad leader to a platoon leader，and then a company commander
后来就一下子蹿到了团长的位置