The pregnant moon
Comes down from the boughs of a pine tree
And goes around the corner of a brick house
If she leans backwards just a little more
Perhaps she will give birth to a cinnamon tree*
The cinnamon tree has made
This poor moon its mama
The moon rests her belly on a pine tree bough
And lies on her side
"Mama"
The tree calls to the moon
The moment comes when the moon's head reaches back to her heels
My baby, my baby! The sound of her calling
Goes up against an alley
The corner of the brick house is like high noon
*Translated by Rodney E. Tyson
Euntaek Hong
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*Cinnamon tree: The Korean word used in this poem, kyesunamu, is the name of a tree sometimes called a Chinese cinnamon tree or a cassia bark tree. In Korean folklore, this tree was said to live on the moon because it was believed that some of the dark spots on the moon resembled the tree.
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= KOREAN =
시월 이야기
만삭의 달이
소나무 가지에서 내려와
벽돌집 모퉁이를 돌아갑니다
조금만 더 뒤로 젖혀지면
계수나무를 낳을 것 같습니다
계수나무는 이 가난한 달을
엄마 삼기로 하였습니다
무거운 배를 소나무 가지에 내려놓고
모로 누운 달에게
"엄마"
라고 불러봅니다
달의 머리가 발뒤꿈치까지 젖혀지는 순간이 왔습니다
아가야아가야 부르는 소리
골목을 거슬러 오릅니다
October Story 
