Best Chun Poems
Wings of bronze, Wings of silver, Wings of gold.
Soar with me in a flight so bright.
Show me not Icarus' flight.
Fly with me in the darkest night.
Give flight and air to feathers so light.
Love for you makes me soar.
above the clouds so high.
You are the draft that makes me glow.
You are the one who's wings beat in time to mine.
You are the one who's breath gives me life.
Fly with me in tandem flight.
Show me that you are what I was meant to feel.
Shine your light upon my face,
in a smile so bright, I know the sun does hide.
Accept what is and what we have,
for freedom can be our only path.
From a weathered past and an unknown future.
You are the wings of flight,
look down and see your journey plight.
A future of gold our only choice.
Live now and forever in merged flight of what is so right.
©K.Chun 11.3.2014
Oh, look over there!
There's a button that makes life easy,
wait, what's that?
There is no easy button!
Someone forgot to mention,
self-destruct is a straightforward path.
Like a yellow brick road so simple to follow.
Deviation from a path so obvious.
Woe betide the one that takes the easy way out.
No one said it would be clearly marked,
no one said that there would be directions.
Cookie cutters, patterns, all to simple.
Follow in a footstep, follow a tide.
A whirlpool can drown you as fast as life.
Follow the road less traveled.
Make a mark of destination, not a footprint of regret.
k.chun 2013
Sweet flowing hands
Sweeping charm
Dancing slowly
Like wings
of a butterfly
His eyes - gentle, perceiving, acknowledging
In the midst of silence, he's aware of her every move
Sliding along
Shuffles feet
as arms
go back
Taking snake shape
The great cobra strikes
His lips - challenged, firm yet slightly amused
In the midst of chaos, he's alert of her every attack
Clashing sounds
Defending one heart
Each strike
finding equal
Bows the head
in honor
of grace
His hands - deadly, lethal yet softened towards her
In the midst of the duel, he shares a moment with her
Claws attack
Sweeping movements
Floating on air
Gliding souls
Within a heartbeat
Smiling defeat
His heart - beats in admiration, slightly fascinated
In the end, as he smiles in defeat...a heart is silently stolen
Originally created in 2013.
(Note: The poem was inspired by the duel scene between actor Tony Chiu Wai Leung and actress Ziyi Zhang in the movie 'The Grandmaster' directed by Kar Wai Wong. This is a 2013 Hong Kong movie that tells the life story of a martial arts master who taught the Wing Chun martial art style to Bruce Lee.)
Took a lifetime to find you.
Someone who matches me in stride.
Who feels the same as I do for them.
I know why it never worked with another.
It's beyond words these feelings I have.
An emotion of triumph, of contentment, of bliss.
You are the other half I've been searching for,
without ever knowing why.
You are mine and I am yours.
I'll give you everything in every moment of everyday.
Vulnerable as never before.
Scared to fall, scared to crash.
Happier than I have ever been.
I smile at a thought of you.
I miss you when you are away.
You make me safe,
your embrace I never want to leave.
Took a lifetime to find you.
A chance encounter, the sweetest kiss.
Arms I never want to let me go.
Surrender unto me,
what I have already lost to you.
©K. Chun 9.3.2014
(for those in Kwangju: May 18, 1980)*
after Dante
Taking this peach within the mouth, the tongue
hovers around its sunset skin like a lover
and its Sappho sweet bite is heaven. A song
of honeysuckled rivers is like your
kiss… The night is in July. At once
Platonic love is redemption or
when the world is beyond our Kwangju…Please
let the streets be freed from anticipation
of the bayonet and gun… Let litter seize
this street or any avenue… Plan
my kiss and we will be happy and free.
The night is the peach---the dead sun…
Recall the dress you wore as a weapon, me
wearing---I forgot… Your raven hair, soft
yet sharp by its embroidery
of strands being held by one silver pin. The left
hand of God and right hands of angels
must have done it… It was my dry throat
drinking from Styx River which made the chills
even more pronounced at the sight of you.
The dress’ print was you. It was petals
of prints within splotches of orange, gold, red, too…
and white--- bandages… Horrible bandages.
I’m wearing black/white. Suddenly we choose
to hug underneath those flickering pages
of streetlights… we an arrow’s color shot through bodies---Rage…
*Excerpted from Chalmers Johnson’s Blowback : The Costs and Consequences of the
American Empire: “General Chun did not wait long after talking with Gleysteen (US
Ambassador to South Korea) to complete the coup d’etat he had begun the previous
December…On May 18, 1980, a few hundred demonstrators in Kwangju took to the streets to
protest the imposition of martial law. They were met by the paratroopers of the 7th Brigade
of the Korean special forces, known as the “black berets,” who had a well known reputation
for brutality going back to their service on the American side in the Vietnam War…Gleysteen
wrote, “Rumors reaching Seoul of Kwangju rioting say special forces used fixed bayonets and
inflicted many casualties on students… Some in Kwangju are reported to have said that
troops are being more ruthless than North Koreans ever were.” [When asked of the decision]
Gleysteen replied, “I grant it was the controversial decision, but it was the correct one. Do I
regret? I don’t think so.” (112-113)
Share a thought, a look a touch.
Nerves on fire as fingers tingle,
two hearts beat in silent wonder.
Step beside me and match my pace,
breathe the fragrance of cool night air.
put your arm around me and hold me close.
Heat radiates a soothing warmth.
Look up at the moon so full,
stars twinkling like little lights.
electricity so close to spark,
grounded now with fingers laced.
Take a step, a leap, a jump.
Fear not the chasm of unknown.
Close your eyes and walk with me,
together we will find a way.
©K.Chun 6.29.14
PRELUDE
The song expresses the feelings of an Indian village girl. Her parents have fixed her
marriage (It generally happens in the rural areas of India, even to-day). She is about to
leave for the first time for her in-law’s place. She do not want to go to her father in
law’s place leaving her parents, her soul mates friends the animals and birds. The song
sketches the tender feelings of her heart for her Mother, Father and Brother & for the
animals and birds, whom she used to look after until now as her most precious friends and
who taught her how to sing a sweet song.
Song of a Teenage Girl 1/2
Why you are sending me to an alien place, the place of my in laws, O Mother dear and Father,
I played and enjoyed my child hood and youth, in your courtyard O dear Mother & Father,
You always kept me on your eyelids like a pearl of tears,
O Mother, you always kept me close to your bosom, like the beatings of heart, where I laughed and bloomed.
O Father, after quarrelling with my brother, I used to weep for hours,
Whenever you call my name, I used to be so proud of you, O my dear Father.
O Father, by seeing a smile on your face, we used to bloom like a flower.
Then, why you are sending me to an alien place* O My Mother and Father *,
Please listen to me, O dear Father & Mother, if you have already decided to send me to my in-laws,
-Now you have to give food and water to the Parrots on the Tree.
-O, Mother you have to give now fodder and water to our Cow in our courtyard.
-And do not forget to give grains to our oxen Chun Mun, whom I look after in our fields.
-My melody singing Koyal* would be sitting and waiting for me on the Mango tree.
O Mother, it is Koyal, who taught me how to sing a sweet song,
Please do not forget to look after that lovely singing bird.
Listen to me, O My dear Father & Mother, if you have already decided to send me to my in laws,
All my birds, animals and my childhood friends would be waiting for me with tearful eyes, O Mother,
Please tell them your daughter has left this place forever and has gone,
To her in laws, a place so alien to her. .... concluded in part 2
Ravindra
Kanpur India. 17th October 2010
Forever in our minds,
Forever in our hearts.
Eternity will be yours,
for to forget we will not.
Many a years you lived,
a presence you once were.
Touched forever the lives of today,
from moments of yesterday.
You gave of yourself everyday,
even though tomorrow will never come.
Missed you will be,
but you will live on.
Generations come and go,
but memories will forever stay.
Dedicated to Ellen Arlene Guy. R.I.P. 1921-2015
©K. Chun 6.18.15
Come over here.
Hush, hush quiet.
Thread your arm through mine, cover up your ears.
Hush, hush quiet.
Eyes like coals, burning hot.
A stench a smell a fetid breath.
A bellowing roar, the crack of a plate.
Windows tremble and the walls shake.
Hold on tight, no sound must you make.
Hush, hush quiet.
Ponderous feet the stairs do meet,
slamming doors now a silence to greet.
Move if you must, I cannot tell.
Stay invisible in this well.
Hush, hush quiet,
the monsters awake.
©K.Chun 2014
I came to your house this morning
And posted something for you,
My favourite crushed can of Special Brew.
But I don't think you noticed,
I don't think you cared
Or maybe you were just a little bit scared.
I'm constantly thinking of you.
I walked past the pond at midday
To see a woman crouched down with scissors,
Cutting up bread on the ground.
I assumed it was for the duck,
But I guess it could have been for luck
Or just for the hell of it.
It reminded me of you.
Last week I went on a journey;
The horses were on strike so I caught a train
Through the glaciers and rocky terrain.
It was empty but a stranger sat next
To me and ate cornflakes straight out
Of the bag. He was a pro with chopsticks.
Remember when you taught me to play that?
I'd run out of pebbles so I went to town
Where people collect things and stash them
In their bags like anxious squirrels.
Two policemen stood outside M&S,
Arresting a clown for inappropriate dress,
Big shoes squeaking as she climbed into the car.
Remember that time you got done for MSG?
I took my fox for a walk down by the stream;
We saw a beautiful koi carp
Scurrying up a near-by tree.
There was something lodged in the sand underwater:
A loyalty card for Men Chun fireworks.
I looked at the fox who shrugged and said, "Finders keepers."
Recall when you said that about my splintered heart?
On the last day of summer I went down the lane
To see the colours through the sun and the rain.
A knotted bramble of blackberries
Sheltered the toy Father Christmas,
Though his fur looked pathetic and bedraggled.
I miss being a child at Christmas, I really do.
But not as much as I miss you.
A year ago today,
I had to say goodbye.
Life went on and continued on its way.
Your humor, your smile, your depth of honesty.
Lost in a moment that seemed like yesterday.
Poorer are we all the day you passed away.
Moments lost and conversations never to be had.
Yet memories will live on in bits of everyday.
Today I mourn the fact that memories are all that remain.
You are missed in ways that will never be forgotten,
Forever to be remembered,
Immortal in hearts that live today.
©K.Chun 2.27.2015
Dedicated to Colleen Fitzpatrick, 1952-2014 R.I.P.
Running blind, Running scared.
Darkness, emptiness, trapped.
Emotions bleeding, dripping, leaking out.
A dam, a wall, a box I've built.
Crumbling, folding, shredding fast.
Running blind, Running scared.
A touch, a look, a kiss.
Floating, flying, soaring.
Waiting, wondering, am I going to crash...
Running blind, Running scared.
A glimmer, a shimmer, hope?
Possibilities, endless, eternal.
Fragile, delicate, afraid.
Running blind, Running scared.
To late, lost in you and hopefully you with me.
Running blind, Running scared.
Afraid to blink, breathe, suffocate.
Heart open, bared, vulnerable.
Running blind, Running scared.
Leap, jump, take a chance.
Cross the bridge-
no sense in running blind and scared,
Love can't be broken if it is right.
©K. Chun 7.28.2014
A single note, so pure and sweet.
piercing your soul, cutting so deep.
Lightning flashes, so bright and white.
Blinding your eyes, burning your sight.
It happens so fast, so quick with might.
un-expectantly shocking, to the bone it strikes.
Emotions tumbling, confusing and frightening,
so quick to set, so easily unexpected.
©K. Chun 2003
Don't turn away, Don't blink an eye.
In some respect we never see,
faster than we can ever believe.
Once standing proud, on solid ground.
You cannot know, you cannot grieve.
All you can know is what will be.
Memories are all that's left,
A tribute to life lived, hearts touched.
Go now for it is gone, nothing left to linger on.
Remembrance for times shared, laughter, yelling,
and emotions bared.
Shed not those tears of sadness,
give strength and shoulder in times like these.
Carry on from now 'till then,
I'll see you in the end my friend.
©K.Chun 2.27.2014
Dedicated to Colleen Fitzpatrick, 1952-2014 R.I.P.
A word not spoken,
A meaning never said.
A thought lost,
A moment passed.
Maybe I should have said what I meant.
Maybe I should have said my mind.
Maybe I should of thought it out.
Maybe I should have kept it in.
I forgot to tell you,
well maybe I didn't.
I forgot to tell you,
well maybe I shouldn't.
Never is a rightful word.
Never is not an end.
Never will or never won't.
Never will be if you never speak.
Read it again and wonder,
Read it over and wonder if.
Read again and the words are the same.
Read again it won't change.
To late now,
you should of spoken.
To late now,
words are only a token.
©K.Chun 4.27.14