I’ll build a house of a poem
Because it doesn’t hand a piece of bread or a penny
But it can be a spring water of joy or comfort welling up
That a piece of bread or a penny cannot give.
I’ll build a house of a poem
Because it doesn’t make weapons to be able to win a war
But it can transfuse the blood of wisdom or courage flowing
To be able to prevent or win a war.
I’ll build a house of a poem
Because it doesn’t have a tyrant’s knife
But it can be a teacher
To tame a tyrant’s tongue.
I’ll build a house of a poem
Because it doesn’t have a clever scheme
To prevent time from carving wrinkles on my sweetheart’s forehead
But it can be a book to keep forever
Her smiling face.
I’ll build a house of a poem
Because it isn’t a miracle medicine
To make the dead alive
But it can be a wonder medicine
To make the dying alive.
I’ll build a house of a poem
Even tearing all the flesh of my soul to pieces
Because it doesn’t prevent all the things of life
From going into the tomb
But it can be a work of art to make alive forever
Brilliant moments of disappearing things.
Bio(Wansoo Kim)
Wansoo Kim achieved Ph. D. in English Literature from the graduate school of Hanguk University of Foreign Studies. He was a lecturer at Hanguk University of Foreign Studies and an adjunct professor at Incheon Junior College for about 20 years. He has published 5 poetry books, one novel, and one book of essays. One poetry book, “Duel among a middle-aged fox, a wild dog and a deer” was a bestseller in 2012, one page from the book of Letters for Teenagers was put in textbooks of middle school (2011) and high school (2014) in South Korea, and four books (Easy-to-read English Bible stories, Old Testament(2017), New Testament(2018) and Teenagers, I Support your Dream”) were bestsellers. He was granted a Rookie award for poetry at the magazine of Monthly Literature Space in South Korea, and the World Peace Literature Prize for Poetry Research and Recitation, presented in New York City at the 5th World Congress of Poets(2004). He published poetry books, “Prescription of Civilization” and “Flowers of Thankfulness“ in America.(2019), received Geum-Chan Hwang Poetry Literature Prize in Korea(2019)and International Indian Award(literature) from WEWU(World English Writer’s Union)(2019).
