Poetry and translation from Korean by Ihlwha Choi
When you encounter something beautiful,
Even if you are not familiar with beauty,
Be willing to approach it,
Rather than hesitating and distancing yourself.
When something good is in front of you,
Even if it feels unfamiliar,
Show an interest,
Instead of being overly critical and parting ways.
When you encounter something true,
Even if you usually don't care much about it,
In the realm of human existence, truth is necessary.
Knowing that truth ultimately stays with us,
Accept it, instead of discarding it like an old rag.
Unacceptance, leads to inevitable collisions,
And regrets -- both big and small.
You end up being tossed around and remain indecisive at every turn.
Ihlwha Choi is a South Korean poet. He has published multiple poetry collections, such as Until the Time When Our Love will Flourish, The Color of Time, His Song and The Last Rehearsal.
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