Yong Wan Bryan Choi한국어Rapeseed Flowers of the Nakdong River
Translated from the Korean original. Read the Korean original
Rapeseed Flowers
Yong Wan Choi 10.21.12
Beyond the hill, rapeseed flowers blanket the plain
after the battles of rising and falling
over the scars of fury clawed by weapons and blood
The lives blown away in the blasts and smoke
are gathered into a broad and ample bosom
in the waves of the wind a golden tide flows
After the joy of meeting, having stood swaying alone,
the gifts gladly given and received, great and small,
begin the long rough road of deceiving and being deceived
Making the pain of taking and being taken
life grows harder the more it tangles
is the world an unavoidable heaping-up of sin
On a spring day when the rapeseed flowers open their hearts
setting down every gift the world has handed us
peace of mind reaches down through branch and root
The tangled stories of days gone by drift off on time
the wisdom of letting mud settle and clear water rise
in eyes that behold rapeseed flowers, can world peace be seen