Translated by Chae-Pyong Song

Photography by Im Chang-jin

A Flower Blooms by Moon Tae-jun

The yard is quiet
while the flower blooms.

The day is like a sunny floor.

The naked sky
enters the flower
for an entire day.
The flower’s lips become wet.

The sky has laid
fragrant eggs inside it.

If only meeting the person I miss is like that.

꽃이 핀다/ 문태준

뜰이 고요하다
꽃이 피는 동안은

하루가 볕바른 마루 같다

맨살의 하늘이
해종일
꽃 속으로 들어간다
꽃의 입시울이 젖는다.

하늘이 향기 나는 알을
꽃 속에 슬어놓는다

그리운 이 만나는 일 저처럼이면 좋다.

(Darcy Brandel and Melanie Steyn read the earlier versions of this translation.)

Moon Tae-jun (1970-) has published four collections of poetry: Chattering Backyard(2000), Bare Foot (2004), Flatfish (2006), and Shadow’s Development (2008) as well as other essays and commentary. One of the most popular poets of the younger generation, Moon uses deceptively simple poetic language with profound lyricism, commenting on the struggle of daily life. Grounded in Buddhist philosophy, his poems speak with reverence for all forms of life and emphasize the necessity of emptying oneself. Moon is a recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Dongseo Literature Award (2004), the Midang Literature Award (2005), and the Sowol Poetry Award (2007).