Azaleas

by Kim Sowol · translated by Jongkil Kim

When you leave,
Grown weary of me
I will gently let you go.

An armful of azaleas
From Yaksan, Yongbyon,
I will gather to adorn your path.

Tread softly,
Step by step,
Upon the flowers as you go.

When you leave,
Grown weary of me,
I will bite my lips to stop my tears.

Chung Han-mo. Korean Poetry: An anthology with Critical Essays. Seoul: The Korean Culture & Arts Foundation, 1984.