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Five Poems by Ko Un

Two beggars sharing a meal of the food they've been given

The new moon shines intensely

*

The Nation

August 31, 2006

Two beggars sharing a meal of the food they’ve been given

The new moon shines intensely

*

In a poor family’s yard the moon’s so bright it could beat out rice-cakes

*

Get yourself a friend come to know a foe Get yourself a foe come to know a friend

What kind of game is this?

*

A thousand drops hanging from a dead branch

The rain did not fall for nothing

*

Without a sound

resin buried underground is turning into amber while above the first snow is falling

Translated from the Korean by Brother Anthony of Taizé, Young-moo Kim and Gary Gac

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