現在想起來，這輩子從來沒有擅長過說話這件事。
我這樣講，不曉得聽得懂嗎？
當然，文字之於聽，從來只有想像的份。然而，人們在閱讀裡想像，卻在傾聽裡固著，是嗎？
Suzanne Vega 有一首歌叫 Language。我經常想起 Suzanne Vega有一首歌叫 Language這樣的事。
Language If language were liquid It would be rushing in Instead here we are In a silence more eloquent Than any word could ever be These words are too solid They don't move fast enough To catch the blur in the brain That flies by and is gone Gone Gone Gone I'd like to meet you In a timeless, placeless place Somewhere out of context And beyond all consequences Let's go back to the building (Words are too solid) On Little West Twelfth It is not far away (They don't move fast enough) And the river is there And the sun and the spaces Are all laying low (To catch the blur in the brain) And we'll sit in the silence (That flies by and is) That comes rushing in and is Gone (Gone) I won't use words again They don't mean what I meant They don't say what I said They're just the crust of the meaning With realms underneath Never touched Never stirred Never even moved through If language were liquid It would be rushing in Instead here we are In a silence more eloquent Than any word could ever be And is gone Gone Gone And is gone
我在大學時買過 Solitude Standing (1987)的卡帶，並且試著把每一首歌都翻譯成中文。那時候，我覺得 Suzanne Vega真是棒透了，歌詞寫得像詩一樣，讓人覺得像什麼悲傷的預言一樣。
語言 如果語言是液態 它將衝進來取我們而代之以 沉默 比任何字詞所能更為雄辯 這些字詞太堅硬 它們移動得不夠靈敏以 捉住模糊在腦海 那飛過並且逝去 逝去 逝去 逝去 我寧可遇見你 在無時無處的一方 某處與上下文無關 並且超越一切後果之外 讓我們回到那幢建築 (字詞太堅硬) 在微偏西十二街 它並不很遠 (它們移動得不夠靈敏) 而河就在那裡 太陽和空間灑成一片 (捉住模糊在腦海) 我們將在沉默裡靜坐 (那飛過並且) 那些衝進來並且 逝去 (逝去) 我不再使用語言 它們無法表達我想表達 它們不說我想說 它們只是領域形而下意義的外殼 無從感動 無從刺激 甚至無從移動 如果語言是液態 它將衝進來取我們而代之以 沉默 比任何字詞所能更為雄辯 並且逝去 逝去
words are too solid.
words are too solid.
讓我想起了村上春樹的一本書名「如果我們的語言是威士忌」，雖然這只是一本村上春樹在蘇格蘭和愛爾蘭的旅行紀事，不過我卻很喜歡裡頭和書名相呼應的一段文字。
「如果我們的語言是威士忌，當然，應該就不必這麼辛苦了。我只要默默伸出酒杯，你接下來靜靜送進喉嚨裡，事情就完成了。非常簡單，非常親密，也非常正確。」
不過Vega先入為主的意象實在太強烈，
讀這段村上的文字時，
我還是想到Suzanne Vega有一首歌叫 Language這樣的事。