Candle
By Kim Hyesoon
Translated By Don Mee Choi
When you say Joy to the World
it’s like—Joy, my death has come
When you say Our Joyful Days of Youth
it’s like—Joyful day he murdered me
When you preach the Gospel of Joy
it’s like—Please spread the happy news of my death!
Is it because of double p? Pappaoppahappy are in cahoots
finally coming for me
Get out, get out, get out of my room!—
I know I should set myself on fire to kick you out
But I wept the most when high school girls
their arms locked marched and cried—
Get out, get out, get out of my room!
When someone sobbing gets in the face of
another sobber, igniting in tears
ghosts bore holes through your red sleeves
and scatter on the first day of snow
and stars stay inverted
till they’re caressed
When you say Lord of Joy gives us bright light
it’s like—my eyes glow as they sprout from my body’s ashes
When you put out this light
it’s like—all the birds of the world can’t spread their wings
Notes:
Read the Korean-language version, "초."
Copyright Credit: Kim Hyesoon, "Candle" (Tr. by Don Mee Choi) from Phantom Pain Wings. Copyright © 2023 by Kim Hyesoon. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corporation.