1990年出版之《檳榔花》反映張錯返臺實際感受,其書寫風格轉變明顯有別以往,本文以「離散」角度切入,探究詩人如何將漂泊生命經驗與作品表現密切綰合。詩人仍持「以情觀物」態度創作本集,文字密度卻改趨透明及主題多取在臺生活細節,以表現真實體驗及擁抱之熱情,兩者成功絞揉出漂泊者回歸想像故土歷程,及追求認同之書寫儀式展演;其次於鄉土修辭中,處處流瀉詩人無法掌握及融入臺灣之有限性焦慮,凸顯想像與現實故土間存在難以跨越鴻溝,對此詩人常透過古老意象以經營更為巨大之時空框架,透過古今交疊手法,讓「二度失鄉」不得歸之滄桑,轉化成更為普遍性經驗,除滿足自身再次流浪及歸鄉誘惑外,進而更領悟漂泊、離散現象永恆本質。
Zhang Cuo's "Betel Nut Flowers," published in 1990, showed the author's authentic experiences in Taiwan. Zhang used to write about diaspora, but he then focused on trips, festivals, and daily life in Taiwan. He still wrote from the "see things with love" point of view, but his semantic density grew increasingly lucid and transparent. His passion for local authentic experience suggested that he pursued the local identity. Yet the gap between imagination and reality was too huge to be easily bridged. The poet wrote in a broad space-time frame, on topics such as good old days, history, myth, legend, etc. where he failed to feel assimilated. By mingling the past and the present, Zhang turned his vicissitudinous life and double-lost hometown into a common experience. Through all this, he came to a better realization of the eternity of wandering and diaspora.