Translated by Chae-Pyong Song and Anne Rashid

Painted by Jung Jeong-im

They Will Wake Up to Laughter by Hwang In-suk

In an unfamiliar house, with an unfamiliar family, at an unfamiliar dining table,
suddenly there I am,
only I feel ill at ease.
These people don’t mind me
and continue to dine.
Feeling estranged, I ask myself if this is a dream.
Reflecting back, I realize it is a dream
Though I know it is, I still feel uncomfortable,
so uncomfortable I feel as though it cannot be

How strange would the people of that world live?
Suddenly someone appears and disappears.

Next time I will burst,
burst into loud laughs.

They will wake up,
and stare at me.

Look, the moon is urinating.
Even the other side of the grave will get wet.

(Originally published in New Writing from Korea, Volume 2, 2009)

Painted by Jung Jeong-im