봉숭아
             차신재

올해도 잊지 않고
흙덩이를 밀고 올라 와
수척해진 내 기억을
불러내는 너

쑥부쟁이 모깃불로 타던
고향의 여름밤
앞마당 멍석위에
너와 마주 앉으면
손톱 끝까지 붉게 달아오르던 마음
밤새토록 욱신거렸지

희끗희끗해진 머리카락만큼
메꿀 수 없는 시간 저편에서
너와 함께 붉게붉게 물들던 밤이
별이 기울도록 손톱 위에서 운다

캄캄한 여름밤
빨간 봉숭아꼿
밤새도록 피 뚝뚝 흘려
나를 적신다

Garden Balsam*
                         Cha SinJae

This year as well not forgetting
You rose up breaking up a clod of dirt
To help me recall
My weakened memory

Burning daisies to smoke out mosquitoes
Summer nights at my hometown
Upon the straw mat spread on the front yard
You and I sat facing each other
Hearts flushed even to the tips of our finger nails
Throbbing all night long.

Yonder the times that couldn't be made up
Just as much as my pepper and salt hairs
Those nights when you and I flushed red together
Weep on tops of finger nails till stars decline

Pitchy black summer night
Red Garden Balsam flowers
Shed droplets of blood all night long
Making me wet.
Translation by tion by YouShine@youshine.com 번역: 유샤인
* Olden days, girls in Korea used to dye their finger and toe nails with Garden Balsam