MY FIFTY FOURTH BIRTHDAY POEM

五十四岁生日赋

（中国广州，1990/2）

格林 菲利普斯

佛手有三种姿势

合十 平摊

双手抚膝

老之将至 我期冥悟

凄雨落下

拍打六棵榕树

缭起蓝缕清香阵阵

佛手有三种姿势

合十 平摊

双手抚膝

盘膝静坐 会通

冥悟渐至

平台渐冷

刺骨难持

此刻愿汝温存

犹在

而非彻悟

于心

果河子 译

MY FIFTY FOURTH BIRTHDAY POEM

(Canton, China, February 1990)

There are three positions

for the hands: linked

in the lap; unlinked;

hand on knee.

Ageing I await wisdom;

rain falls in cold

hurtling drops

through six banyan trees

and the drift of blue incense.

There are three positions

for the hands: linked

in the lap; unlinked;

hand on knee.

Here waiting for some sign,

Message, that wisdom will come,

the cold creeps across the terrace

and sets my bones

in cramped positions.

I think now

Rather than be wise

I would have

the warmth of you

February 1990

Glen Phillips

First published: A Selection of Chinese and Australian Poems

                         Also in Lovesongs, Lovescenes,

                               Australian Lyric Poems