Green mountains resting
Scent of development
Wild traffic winding
Each car boasts a dent
Writing on faded walls
Beautiful woman on street
Churches and neon crosses
Volumes of concrete
Swift and silent trains
Harried, worried workers
Classical music notes
Kids on backs of mothers
Tall apartment buildings
Dirty looking houses
Ally cats slinking nearby
Everyone in trousers
“An-yong-ha-se-yo?”
Smiling stall owners
Korean souvenirs
Hairpins in pretty stones
Red kimchi dishes
Exquisite food to taste
A flash of silver chopsticks
Eat it with great haste
Endless news on TV
North Korean’s feature
Sad family stories
Reunion out of reach
Togetherness is vital
Holding in emotions
Parents feel responsible
For oncoming generations
My first impressions of Korea!
2002