f.j. seligson
128-10 Daesin-dong
S(e)oul 120-160, S.Korea
fjseligson@yahoo.com
~~~~~~~~~~~
Self-made
Wanderlust
brought back the child’s life
By field & valley haze,
through leafless trees, a gray river
where mother’s star could be seen
on one side of the crescent moon
& father’s on the other
Over hill are graves, mossy stones & tiny
cups of yellow tea. One stone lays apart from
the rest; by it I sit & sleep
Who comes to gently stroke my eyes with
her lips & draw me down in grasses among ruffles
of clothes? Whom I kiss - the smooth skin - &,
who, disappears? Alone with flowers, I seek for
her in vain. &, sleep, for her, in vain
K i d
w a l k i n g
w i d e
r o a d
- i t’ s
f o g
S t e p s
t h r o u g h
f o g
n o
w h e r e
g o i n g
C a n’ t
s e e
a n y
t h i n g
b u t
f o g
Y e l
l o w
d r a g
o n s
f l y
o u t
i n
f o g
A l l
f a c i n g
y o u
t h e r e
&
g o n e
s i l e n t l y
~~~~~~~~~~~
T o e s
w o r n
o u t
s t e p s
A s i d e
f r o m
l a d d e r,
h o u s e ’ s
e m p t y
J u s t
s o f t
f r o g s
c u r l i n g
o v e r
e a c h
o t h e r
O n e
s l o w
f i s h
f o r
t h e
p o n d
C r
u m b s
c i r
c l i n g
c i r c
l i n g
N o w ...
a
b i g g e r
f i s h
c o m i n g ...
R a i n
d r o p
f r o g’s
e y e -
o t h e r
f i e l d s
&
f a c e s
D a n d e
l i o n
s e e d s
f l o a t b y
S i t
q u i e t l y
s t a n d
u p ...
T i p
t o e
t o
k i s s
t h e
g a r d e n
r o s e
D e w
d r o p s
o n
m o u s
t a c h e
a v e c
l a
r o s e
(1953)
O v e r
h e d g e,
c o l d
c l e a r
b o t t o m
o f
w e l l
"T h r o w
i n
y o u r
p e n n y,
b o y ..."
o l d
n e g r o
s a y s
North of Kyoto - 1976
Farms are all around. A small white
cottage, near a lake. A rowboat ashore; trees.
Apples floating in windy waves
Once a dream of marriage, now to be
forgotten. A man, not older than me, plays with
his child. Holding a basket, his wife asks me,
"Where are you going?"
"Anywhere this path goes"
"Where have you come from?"
"The same place I’m going to"
"Perhaps you’re going to the Sea?"
"Yes ..., that sounds like where"
"Then, take an apple on your way"