Gift – write by Kong Kwangkyu

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Gift

After my daughter moved out to a studio near her school
in her empty room
we piled up holiday gifts we received

Boxes of dried laver, honey, apple, wine, old world sweets, anchovies,
and a sack of rice from the country

Her room became a room of gifts
Waiting for her to come home for the holidays
I organize the gift boxes, dust, and scrub the room
for an hour or two in the morning

As I tidy up some clothes and make her bed
I pick off a long piece of hair
and try to guess my daughter’s height and scent

The world’s biggest gift

 

선물

 

딸이 학교 근처로 원룸을 얻어 나간 후
빈 방에
명절선물들을 쌓아놓았다

김 꿀 사과 와인 한과 홍삼 멸치 상자들과
시골에서 올라온 쌀자루

선물방이 된 딸의 방

명절 쇠러 오는 딸을 기다리며
오전 한두 시간
선물상자들을 치우고 먼지를 털고 방을 닦는다

흐트러진 옷을 정리하고 요를 깔다가
긴 머리카락을 떼어내며
딸의 키와 체취를 가늠해 본다

세상에서 가장 큰 선물을

 

 

Translated by Cate Boram with Ko, Yujin

 

 

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