Cooking as Meditation | 煮饭作为一种冥想

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Cooking as Meditation
  for Ananda Coomaraswamy
Knowing the area: sink, counter, stove-oven,
             one’s relieved of the extraneous and is thus focused
             on one’s own motor functions—the actions themselves
induce a plateaued state of oneness; in the eternity of now, the metal
cup when clinked resounds throughout the cupboard, the sound
reminiscent of singing bowl percussion in the hands of a Buddhist;
ruminations on the scent of pepper, ingredients in and out, seasonal vibrations—
             preciseness eludes an unsteady hand, but we’ve always
             measured by feeling—the end result’s a sand mandala,
for food and art never last too long, as all things’re temporary—
             the flavor itself’s a confirmation of one’s own skill and labor,
             and if not disciplined, you’ll hope for a taste which lasts forever
in the face of a world that won’t
Omar Zefier is an artist, writer, and sound designer. His works have appeared in ExPat Press, Tough Poets Review, and Red Cedar Review.

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煮饭作为一种冥想
            给 Ananda Coomaraswamy
翻译：诗验室
对整个厨房了如指掌：洗碗槽、台面、灶烤一体，
            心无旁念于是可以全神贯注
            于自己的运动功能——行动自身
催生一种和谐的平稳状态；在此刻的永恒中，金属
杯碰撞时在橱柜里发着回响，这声音
让人想起佛教徒手中颂钵的敲击声；
关于胡椒味、进出配料、以及四季振动的沉思——
           精确避开不稳的手，但我们向来
           都是靠感觉度量——最终获得一座沙坛城，
因为美食与艺术从未过久停留，一如万物都只是过眼云烟——
           味道本身只是一个人厨艺与劳动的见证者，
           倘若不够自律，你会希望有一种永恒的味道
在一个不永恒的世界面前
Omar Zefier 是一名艺术家、写作者兼声音设计师。其作品散见于「ExPat Press」「Tough Poets Review」及「Red Cedar Review」等处。