from Autobiography of Death

"Face of Rhythm"

Woman's body is tied up to rhythm
Woman drags along her barking shadow kung kung

Woman says death speaks a foreign language daily
like princes who come to propose from overseas

Woman grins,
Do princes really need I love you to be translated?


*


Citizens laughed inside princess's head
It was useless giving orders to arrest those who laughed
for the laughter belonged to the dead
It was recorded long ago
like a laugh track

An order was given to make princess laugh
but no one showed up


*

Peachsink
Peachslippers
Likeanadolescentgirlthesinkgrowssoft hair
Peachsoap
Peachtoothpaste
Smell of sickly breath nearby
Smell of peach
Smell of bent knees
Peach needle
at Eden's peachorchard before going under general anesthesia

Smell of cheap peaches as I go down the basement levels –1 –2 –3 –4

A young nursing assistant with a shaving knife comes over to shave peach hair

—Translated by Don Mee Choi


From Autobiography of Death (New Direcitions, 2018.) All rights reserved. Reprinted with the permission of the translator and publisher.