Yoon-Ho Cho

BLUE POND

Under the sultry summer sun,
the water in the pond
slowly evaporates.

The blue pond
in my soul
made by you.

The water ran dry with your departure,
leaving my soul a wasteland,
so how shall I live.

O love,
with this parched throat,
how shall I live.


WILDFLOWER

Could there be anyone in this world
who has seen the perfect flower?

Being a flower is enough,
whether blooming in a garden
or blooming in a thicket.

I am a wildflower.
Aren't you as well?

Speak carefully,
for the moon might hear.

How ridiculous! He who seeks the perfect flower,
pushes his way through the thicket still unable to find it.

How can you not gaze upon it again and again?
For if it's a flower, it's beautiful.


AUTUMN LEAVES

When I went to the autumn forest,
"The door's not locked, come in,"
rang in my ears.

But the dazzling green leaves so bright
somehow wilting scarlet,
and after wondering what happened,

I realized they were the bloody marks
of words blurted thoughtlessly one spring day.

Belatedly I said,
"I love you! Please forgive me!"
then, "Let's meet again next spring,"
and my heart like red leaves,
suddenly flaming, flaming, flaming.


Translated from Korean by Rachel S. Rhee