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“Rainy Day” by Lee Soo-Myeong
On a rainy day, I sheltered a drenched man under my umbrella. From beneath it, he spoke without pausing — all words I couldn’t understand. Each word piled slowly inside me, bringing my blood to a stop. On the seafloor, a red hermit crab crawled. For less than a moment, the sea swayed and the…
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“Boomerang” by Kim Yeong-Seung
Why does a boomerang return? Toolfor clubbing and catching,killing in an instant.A returning boomerangis thrown wrong.Boomerangs do not return.They declare and admit fault.They’re for going home,crushed and penitent.They’re not for premeditated mistakesbut for giving in, surrender. My boomerang does not return.Just one toss, a single departure,and when it leaves my handone throw brings one death,…
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“The Someone I Love” by Jeong Ho-Seung
I don’t love someone who has no shadow.I don’t love someone who doesn’t love shadows.I love someone who has become shade for a tree.Neither shine nor shadow but dazzling,how beautiful is lifeseated in the shade of a treestaring into sparkling sunlight between leaves! I don’t love someone who has no tears.I don’t love someone who…
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“The Dead Do Age” by Song Jae-Hak
Each year my mother goes to a photo studio.It’s there where my father ages.Where the lines of my mother’s forehead softenand in an instant, for a moment, they become my father’s wrinkles.She softly puts in place the few hairs on his head,easily turning them deep and dark as charcoal.It’s always there, with my father dressed…
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“Structure of Chairs” by Lee Soo-Myeong
On top of one chair, two.On top of two chairs, three.On top of three chairs, four.On top of four chairs, five. On top of five chairs, nine.On top of nine chairs, twenty.On top of twenty chairs, fifty-one. A chair, on a chair, on a chairand more chairs still.More than can be counted. Each day we…
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“Cat Burglar” by Lee Soo-Myeong
The cat has been rummaging through the trash again. The bag is torn, lying in shreds here and there. There’s no use in covering or closing the garbage can. Bread, snacks, and raw fish placed in my shopping bag — all of them always disappear from my bag. I’m continually disappearing too because the cat…
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“My Face” by Kim Hye-Soo
When friends tease me,I feel like teasing back.My sniffling, crying face.My face, red like peppers. 친구가 나를 놀리면나도 놀리고 싶어진다.훌쩍훌쩍 우는 내 얼굴고추 같이 빨간 내 얼굴 This poem was written by Kim Hye-Soo, a child who participates in a poetry group called Perpetual Tree (계속나무), which started through partnership with a public library. As…
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“Life of My Own” by Ha Jae-Yeon
My eyes are my own.Each flutter of my lashes, my freedom.Turning my head to look upon, my freedom.My hands, my own.Whether smoking a cigaretteor extinguishing one, that’s my freedom.Overflowing and running over to you.If you can’t understand my words,that’s not my intention,or is it?When someday you love someone elseand a fire is growing in the…