translated from the Korean by geul

The night I returned to my hometown
my skeleton followed me and lay down in the room with me.

*

The dark room opened up out into the universe,
could it be from the skies – the wind blows in like sound.

*

Looking closely
at the finely weathering skeleton
with tears welling up – is it me weeping?
Or is it the skeleton weeping?
Or is it the beautiful soul that’s weeping?

*

The faithful dog
stays up all night and barks at the darkness.

*

The dog barking at the darkness
is no doubt pursuing me.

*

Let’s go let’s go
like a person on the run.
Keeping the skeleton in the dark
Let’s move on to yet another lovely hometown.

poem in Korean