Category Archives: Poetry

1965 — a life offered in stillness. Beneath the sun of that year,under a barren, overheated light,chased, broken by hunger,falling, fluttering—a certain motion— (Was it memory, or repetition?) Unable to leap into today,with ankles held fast,I wander through a vermilion … Continue reading →

The mist—descending first upon the head,then lingeringabout the instep— a circling presencewithout intention. And in the falling of dropletsfrom that uncertain air,a road—or the suggestion of a road—appeared. Not chosen,not refused, but waitingat the place of division. A fork— and … Continue reading →

In the backyardthe magnolia—not yet fully opened— after the long nightwhen the tornado-wind passed throughwith its jealous breath, must bearthe cold sleetstrikinguntil the whole heart bruises. It is sorrowful,like the wedding daywhen a sistermust be sent away. The old ones—unable … Continue reading →

마침 활짝 피지 않은 뒷마당 매그놀리아가 지난 밤새, 토네이도와 더불어 불어친 시샘으로 온 마음 상하도록 맞아야하는 차가운 진눈개비가, 누이를 떠나보내는 혼인 날처럼 서럽다 나이든 이들은 꽃샘 추위 이기지 못한 독감으로 해수병이 도져, 생명의 갈을 건너 추위가 가시면 그 봄날 꽃길을 … Continue reading →

(with the shadow of war) At the edge of winterwhen the first full moonhangs—not yet spring,not wholly winter— memory stirs. Not my memory alonebut the slow breathingof ancient villages,smoke rising from fieldswhere farmers of the Three Kingdomsburned the tired grass, … Continue reading →

Bright morning on the hill.Light on the branches.The buds hesitatebetween sleep and speech. Yet the heartdoes not quiet. Somewherebeyond this fieldthe old argument continues—war repeating itselfwith tired certainty. Many reasons have been spoken.None have made it just. Still the earth … Continue reading →