Tearshave become a habit now.But thathas not swallowed me up.

Nightmares alsohave become a habit now.Even a sleepless night burning upall the blood vessels in my bodycannot devour me completely.

Look. I’m dancing.On a blazing wheelchairI’m shaking my shoulders.Oh, intensely.

I have no magic,no secret methods.It’s merely that nothingcan completely demolish me.

No hell,no curseand tomb,nor that dirtily icyhail, or hailstoneslike knife-bladescan crush the last of me.

Look,I’m singing.Oh, wheelchairintensely belching flames,wheelchair dance.

Brother Anthony
Brother Anthony of Taizé (An Sonjae) has published more than thirty volumes of English translations of Korean literature, mostly poetry. Born in Cornwall in 1942, he has lived in Korea since 1980. He has received various awards for translation including…