Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Kim Hyesoon

THE NAKED BODY OF ICE

Have you ever been to a place where white snow is kept
and to a storeroom full of hail?

Have you ever been to an ice locker beneath the sea?
Have you ever seen fish kneaded by water holding their breath?

A towering snowbank, for snow fell in your heart, have you ever seen someone
hiding inside the snow?
When the person awoke and opened his eyes
have you ever seen the dark moon crying
as it rose?

Have you ever tried to catch the fleeing white mountains
from a bullet train?
Have you ever endured the cold stare of the mountains?

Have you ever seen someone holding a large chunk of ice wrapped in a blanket
like a sick person, wiping her tears, under the blazing summer sun?
Have you ever touched the scorching naked body of ice?

Have you ever eaten the tears from those who awake in the middle of the night?
Have you ever thought about how it must feel for the hard ice to melt?
So listen up. The ice princess is speaking
Have you ever been to a storeroom full of hail?
Have you ever stood mindlessly in a storeroom where ice has melted away?

HET NAAKTE LICHAAM VAN IJS


ben je wel eens ergens geweest waar witte sneeuw lag opgeslagen
ben je wel eens in een hagelpakhuis geweest?*
 
ben je wel eens in een ijspakhuis onderzee geweest?
heb je wel eens door water geknede vissen de adem zien inhouden?
 
heb je toen het sneeuwde in je hart
iemand zien ondergaan in almaar hogere sneeuw?
heb je de zwarte maan zien huilen
die in de sneeuw** boven kwam drijven
toen die persoon bij het wakker worden de ogen opensloeg?
 
heb je ooit in een trein rap als een pijl
de witte bergen willen vastpakken waar de pijl doorheen joeg?
kon je het koude staren*** van die bergen verdragen?
 
heb je ooit iemand gezien die in een gloeiend hete zomer dat groot
stuk ijs als gepijnigd in een deken wikkelde en zijn tranen afveegde?****
heb je ooit het naakte lichaam van ronduit heet ijs betast?
 
heb je ooit de tranen opgevangen en gegeten
van iemand die midden in de nacht huilend wakker werd?
heb je er ooit aan gedacht hoe het voelt als hard ijs smelt?
kortom luister goed de ijsvrouwe spreekt
ben je ooit in een hagelpakhuis geweest?
heb je ooit wezenloos in een hagelpakhuis gestaan
waar alles weggesmolten was?

Close

THE NAKED BODY OF ICE

Have you ever been to a place where white snow is kept
and to a storeroom full of hail?

Have you ever been to an ice locker beneath the sea?
Have you ever seen fish kneaded by water holding their breath?

A towering snowbank, for snow fell in your heart, have you ever seen someone
hiding inside the snow?
When the person awoke and opened his eyes
have you ever seen the dark moon crying
as it rose?

Have you ever tried to catch the fleeing white mountains
from a bullet train?
Have you ever endured the cold stare of the mountains?

Have you ever seen someone holding a large chunk of ice wrapped in a blanket
like a sick person, wiping her tears, under the blazing summer sun?
Have you ever touched the scorching naked body of ice?

Have you ever eaten the tears from those who awake in the middle of the night?
Have you ever thought about how it must feel for the hard ice to melt?
So listen up. The ice princess is speaking
Have you ever been to a storeroom full of hail?
Have you ever stood mindlessly in a storeroom where ice has melted away?

THE NAKED BODY OF ICE

Have you ever been to a place where white snow is kept
and to a storeroom full of hail?

Have you ever been to an ice locker beneath the sea?
Have you ever seen fish kneaded by water holding their breath?

A towering snowbank, for snow fell in your heart, have you ever seen someone
hiding inside the snow?
When the person awoke and opened his eyes
have you ever seen the dark moon crying
as it rose?

Have you ever tried to catch the fleeing white mountains
from a bullet train?
Have you ever endured the cold stare of the mountains?

Have you ever seen someone holding a large chunk of ice wrapped in a blanket
like a sick person, wiping her tears, under the blazing summer sun?
Have you ever touched the scorching naked body of ice?

Have you ever eaten the tears from those who awake in the middle of the night?
Have you ever thought about how it must feel for the hard ice to melt?
So listen up. The ice princess is speaking
Have you ever been to a storeroom full of hail?
Have you ever stood mindlessly in a storeroom where ice has melted away?
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