For the first time, English-language readers can access the poems of Jeong Ho-seung, who has become one of Korea's most beloved poets since his literary debut in 1973. This book is a collection of 108 poems, presented in side-by-side in English and Korean, which were handpicked by the author and translated by Brother Anthony of Taizé and Susan Hwang. Loved by readers of all ages, from teenagers to those in their 60s and 70s, Jeong's poems tell of humanity's innate loneliness, sadness, longing, love and pain. In the words of the translator, Jeong's poems "may sometimes be challenging, but above all they are moving, enlightening, and insightful."

A Word from the Poet 시인의 말 11
Part 1

To Daffodils 수선화에게 15
Flower-Falling Evening 꽃 지는 저녁 17
The South Han River 남한강 19
Hanging a Wind-Chime 풍경 달다 21
About a Beach 바닷가에 대하여 23
Snail 달팽이 25
Ants 개미 27
The Well 우물 29
For Chopped Octopus 산낙지를 위하여 31
Sehando: Winter Landscape 세한도 33
Sudeok-sa Temple Station 수덕사역 35
Insu Peak 인수봉 37
No Memories 추억이 없다 39
A Train 기차 41
Spring Snow 봄눈 43
Responsibility of a Kiss 키스에 대한 책임 45
Love 사랑 47
For a Reed 갈대를 위하여 49
A Rouge-Stained Cigarette Butt is Sexy 루즈가 묻은 담배꽁초는 섹시하다 51
Tattered Stars 누더기별 53
Ignorance 모른다 55
Part 2

Spring Rain 봄비 59
Adoption 입양 61
The River 강물 63
Dear My Love 애인이여 65
To a Leaf 잎새에게 67
The Heart’s Desert 마음의 사막 69
Dawn Prayer 새벽 기도 71
I Will Give You All 모두 드리리 73
To You 당신에게 75
Reasons 까닭 77
The Heart inside My Heart 내 마음속의 마음이 79
Waiting 기다림 81
Sleeping Curled like a Prawn 새우잠 83
To the Bitter End 끝끝내 85
Concerning my First Kiss 첫키스에 대하여 87
Miracles 기적 89
In the Street 거리에서 91
Life-Sized Buddha 등신불 93
I’m Hungry 배가 고프다 95
I Weep Prostrate Before an Orchid 난(蘭) 앞에 엎드려 울다 99
A Single Log Bridge 외나무다리 101
Manggyeong Temple 망경사(望鏡寺) 103
Part 3

Icebound 결빙 107
The Air 허공 109
Earning my Keep 밥값 111
Resurrection 부활 113
Mother’s Milk 모유 115
Angels 천사 117
Crossing 고비 119
Passing a Ginseng Field 인삼밭을 지나며 121
Flower in Water 물의 꽃 123
Bullfight 투우 125
Snow-Damaged Trees 설해목 127
A Mirror 거울 129
Standing before a Notice Board 어느 벽보판 앞에서 131
Flowers 꽃 133
Stars Don’t Cry 별들은 울지 않는다 135
Bird-shit 새똥 137
The Water’s Shoes 물의 신발 139
Burdens 짐 141
Enough Unhappiness 충분한 불행 143
On Looking at Coffee Spilled on the Floor 바닥에 쏟은 커피를 바라보며 145
I’m Sorry 죄송합니다 147
Prejudice Regarding the Left 왼쪽에 대한 편견 149
The Sea’s Saints 바다의 성자 151
Part 4

Living like a Ruined Temple 폐사지처럼 산다 155
Runaway 도망자 157
A Paper Elephant 종이코끼리 159
Sad, Having no Enemy to Love 사랑할 원수가 없어서 슬프다 161
Huibang Falls 희방폭포 163
Silk Road 실크로드 165
In Seoguipo 서귀포에서 167
In Gampo 감포에서 169
The Day Snow First Falls 첫눈 오는 날 171
Knife Blades 칼날 173
Reeds Do not Weep at Dawn 갈대는 새벽에 울지 않는다 175
Grieve, the Savior Has Come 슬프다 구주 오셨네 177
Spider Lilies at Seonun-sa 선운사 상사화 179
Sudeok Inn 수덕여관 181
A Smile 웃음 183
Visit to Simujang 심우장에 가다 185
Rice Soup 국밥 187
The Other 타인 189
Seen from the Back 뒷모습 191
A White Heron 백로 193


Part 5

Bricks 벽돌 197
Stepping Stones 징검다리 199
Chair of Forgiveness 용서의 의자 201
For the Sake of Vanishing Things 사라지는 것들을 위하여 203
Identification Photo 증명사진 205
Water’s Flowers 물의 꽃 207
A Spider 거미 209
Epitaph for Birds 새들을 위한 묘비명 211
My Address Book 나의 방명록 213
A Night’s Plastic Greenhouse 밤의 비닐하우스 215
Yi Jung-seop’s Room 이중섭의 방 217
Dasan’s Tavern 다산 주막 219
Poetry Books 시집 221
A Snowy Path 눈길 223
Confessing to a Young Zelkova 젊은 느티나무에게 고백함 225
One Night Reading a Braille Poetry Book 점자시집을 읽는 밤 227
At Gwanghwa-mun Gate 광화문에서 229
Snowstorm 폭설 231
Bupyeong Station 부평역 233
Magnolia 목련 235
The Holy Grail 성배 237
Swamp 늪 239

Translators’ Note 번역자의 말 241