My mother appeared in my dream last night
Ms. Lee, Ah Young, a poetess from Korea, the Land of Morning Calm, shares her poem
Poetess Ms. Ah Young Lee was born in Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and completed the creative writing course at Chung-Ang University’s Graduate School of Arts. She made her debut in the quarterly magazine ‘Free Literature’ in 2001. She has three poetry collections and has won two literary awards. Currently, she serves as the Vice President of the Korean Association of World Literature.
Mother and the Moon
Nine o’clock at night is turning to ten o’clock
Gangbuk-gu Office Intersection
The crossing waits for the traffic light
The road between Insubong Peak and Baekundae, with residual snow remaining
The pure white full moon is rising
Above Insubong’s head
The moon walks out looking fresh and stylish.
When the traffic light changed
The moon beckons me to come across
To Dal Bodrae Cafe before my eyes
My mother appeared in my dream last night
Hiding her raw, sore fingers in her dishcloth skirt
Like a dew-covered lotus leaf
Mother washing my forehead
She’s like the moon in front of the Dal Bodrae Cafe door
Becoming a stone statue
Waiting until the alpha star appears.
***
달 보드래
이아영
밤 아홉 시가 열 시로 가고 있는
강북구청 사거리
건널목이 신호등을 기다린다
잔설 남은 인수봉과 백운대 사잇길
새하얀 보름달이
인수봉 머리 위로
새색시 맵시처럼 걸어 나온다
신호등이 바뀌자
어서 건너오라 손짓하는
눈앞에 달 보드래 카페
어젯밤 꿈 섶에 나타나시어
생손 앓은 손가락 행주치마에 감추고
이슬 머금은 연잎처럼
내 이마 씻어 주시던 어머니
달 보드래 문 앞에
망부석 되어
알파성이 뜰 때까지 기다리신다
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