In an effort to get people to look

为了能让人们更多地

into each other’s eyes more,

注视彼此的眼睛，

and also to appease the mutes,

同时抚慰哑巴，

the government has decided

政府决定

to allot each person exactly one hundred  

给每个人每天精确分配

and sixty-seven words, per day.

一百六十七个字。

When the phone rings, I put it to my ear  

当电话响起，我在耳边接听

without saying hello. In the restaurant  

不说你好。在餐厅，

I point at chicken noodle soup.

我指向鸡汤面。

我积极适应着新方式。

I am adjusting well to the new way.

Late at night, I call my long distance lover,  

深夜，我给远方的情人打电话，

proudly say I only used fifty-nine today.  

自豪地说，“今天只用五十九，

I saved the rest for you.

省下给你。”

When she doesn’t respond,

当时她没有回应，

I know she’s used up all her words,  

我知道她用光了她所有的字，

so I slowly whisper I love you

所以我缓慢地轻声说“我爱你”

thirty-two and a third times.

三十二又三分之一遍。

After that, we just sit on the line  

之后，我们就连着线

and listen to each other breathe.

倾听彼此的呼吸。