South Korean – Page 4

Written by and translated from Korean by Ihlwha Choi

I decided to bring a baby bird from the nest,
Only to live with a beautiful spring song.
When I brought it from the nest
I'd no time to be aware of the tears of the mother bird.
I gave the baby bird water to quench its thirst.
I gave it food to satiate its hunger.
It died.
I recalled my own childhood…
Realised what I'd done while reading the wisdom of the Saint.
It's not right to give water to the baby bird,
Nor proper to give it something to eat,
But leave it to cherish the warmth of the bosom of mother bird
And the blue sky where it flies as much as it likes.
Only when it grows up hearing the song of mother bird
It will become an ethereal minstrel* singing high in the sky.

*William Wordsworth's poem: To the skylark

Ihlwha Choi is a South Korean poet. He has published multiple poetry collections, such as Until the Time When Our Love will Flourish, The Colour of Time, His Song and The Last Rehearsal.

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Saturday Afternoon

Sitting in a humble bar, Two men in late sixties are talking friendly. Sitting alone in the corner I drain my glass. They are retired salaried men I suppose. I realise the fact as words drift from their conversation. After leaving their lifelong work, Maybe, they are talking about their bygone days. I wonder if they got a large amount of retirement pay? Are they getting enough pension to sustain old age? Across the tables from a distance, I am now looking at myself of tomorrow, On a relaxed Saturday afternoon, While the sun continues to shine brightly outside