Translated by Chae-Pyong Song and Anne Rashid

A Snowy Morning by Shin Kyung-rim (1935-)

“Good morning.
Today of all days, the flurries are cold.”
“How are you going to stand this winter?”
“Will you bloom again next year?”

The old trees say this to the old trees,
the forsaken people say this to the forsaken people,
coughing and shaking off the snow.
눈 온 아침/신경림

잘 잤느냐고
오늘따라 눈발이 차다고
이 겨울을 어찌 나려느냐고
내년에도 또
꽃을 피울 거냐고

늙은 나무들은 늙은 나무들끼리
버려진 사람들은 버려진 사람들끼리
기침을 하면서 눈을 털면서