Monthly Archives: November 2014

Goodbye Betsy Brown

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Red and white gingham quivers in the twilight
breeze as two tired legs mosey beside surly steel.

We are surrounded by this rosy sky
and those noble rolling green hills.
This valley is a paradise to me,
but to you – a provincial prison.

You shiver – even though we are now shrouded
under ginger hued mantles – because you
accidentally abandoned your shawl on that wobbly
peg in your haste to catch the 6 o’clock train.

It’s not coming, is it?

Flowers of a Moment: Poem 109

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구름 속 보름달이 나타난다
도둑놈이 화들짝 놀라 달아난다
개들이 놀라 짖어댄다

-고은

from behind a cloud, the full moon emerges
a thief is frightened away
startled dogs howl

-Ko Un

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This is poem 109 from Flowers of a Moment, which is a small volume of poetry by Korean author Ko Un that I am currently translating into English.

Facebook Ghost

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This morning close to six past eight
I placed a bagel on my plate,
then opened up my Facebook page
to see what news was all the rage.

Kate Leary had a baby boy;
she barely can contain her joy.

The selfie squad was here of course;
that gal by Ann looks like a horse!

My social justice friend is back;
for starting fights he has a knack.

It seems that Susie’s Grandma died.
I read her post and nearly cried.

Joe’s breakfast bowl looks so delish,
I wonder if that’s meat or fish?

Naomi’s pics are always great;
that’s all she posts at any rate.

Last night Sebastian got quite drunk
in his own words, drunk as a skunk.

Tom’s sister did a 5K run;
I gather it was lots of fun.

Jill’s birthday party is tonight
the theme this year is Rainbow Bright.

I comb my fingers through my hair
and try to think of things to share.
But on this windy autumn day
I just don’t have that much to say.

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*edited after initial posting

old friends

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vermilion cloth brushes snow gently
the wilted arm of a monk reaches
down to greet an old friend who is
curled up under a white oak wheezing
through a toothless mouth

her once golden paw feebly bats at
flowing garments begging for the
heated floors of nearby rooms

these allies have spent many winters
together in this sacred place

when spring comes both will be gone

자비/mercy

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연보라색 나비가 마비된다
자비의 순간이 언제 올거야?

a lilac butterfly becomes paralyzed
when will mercy’s moment come?

 

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In Korean the words for butterfly, mercy, and paralysis rhyme.  I wrote this short poem to serve as a memorization aid for those three words.