Had We Been Snowflakes

Ahn Do-hyun (1961-present)

Had we been snowflakes,
let us not become sleet
that hesitantly scatters in the air.
Even if the world is gusty, freezing, and dark,
let us come down in big, cozy flakes
to the lowest part of
a town where people live.
Had we been snowflakes,
let us become letters
for sleepless people at their windows,
and let us become new skin
that forms over their deep, red scar.

1991
(Translated by Jido Ahn. January 2016)

Learn more about the poet: Ahn Do-hyeon (1961-)

우리가 눈발이라면

안도현 (1961-)

우리가 눈발이라면
허공에서 쭈빗쭈빗 흩날리는
진눈깨비는 되지 말자.
세상이 바람 불고 춥고 어둡다 해도
사람이 사는 마을
가장 낮은 곳으로
따뜻한 함박눈이 되어 내리자.
우리가 눈발이라면
잠 못든 이의 창문가에서는
편지가 되고
그이의 깊고 붉은 상처 위에 돋는
새살이 되자.

1991

Some of Ahn’s poems are in Korean textbook, and this one appears in 7th grade’s textbook.

Ahn is a very politically outspoken poet, and as you can see from this poem, he advocates for people who are marginalized in the society. In 2013, Ahn announced that he won’t publish a poem while Park Geun-hye is serving as a president on his Twitter. Although she is elected by voters, she is a daughter of a controversial dictator, Park Chung-hee. There are many contemporary Korean poets who openly endorse one political stance or another.

photo credit: Woman Chosun

Other poems by Ahn Do-hyun:
I Ask You – Ahn Do-hyun
A Piece of Briquette – Ahn Do-hyun
I Ask You – Ahn Do-hyun
A Piece of Briquette – Ahn Do-hyun