Korean

A Letter to Give to Mom

by

by Eunsol Song
ES (K to 3), Korea

Mom, you say all I can do is play games, right?
Why do you get angry over just that?
Don’t you know my IQ is 100?

Now, I’m going to hate you, Mom.

Since you said your stomach hurts,
I bring you warm water and kimbap.
so why don’t you smile?

Now you are so annoying. I hate you,
You’re so mean, I can’t stand you.

Original drawing by Eunsol Song
Original in Korean
Original drawing by Eunsol Song

엄마, 게임만 할 수 있지
왜 그런다고 왜 화를 내?
난 아이큐가 100인지 몰라?
난 이제 엄마를 싫어할 거예요.

엄마가 배가 아프다고 해서
따뜻한 물이랑
김밥을 갖다 주는데
왜 엄마는 웃지 않냐고

이제 엄마가
짜증나고 싫고
나빠 죽겠어 !

Rainbow

by

by Eunsol Song
ES (K to 3), Korea

Rainbow, rainbow,
a rainbow with clouds,
such a pretty rainbow!

Butterflies flutter, flutter,
happy and glad.

Let’s look at the sky
and feel beautiful.

Even when we’re bored,
let’s cheer up and cheer each other on!

Original in Korean
Original drawing by Eunsol Song

무지개, 무지개
구름이 있는 무지개,
너무 예쁜 무지개!

나비들이 팔랑팔랑
기쁨이 좋다.

하늘 보면서
아름답게 우린.

심심해도
힘내서 응원하자!

Bell

by

by Lea Zimmerlin
MS, USA

Ding, ding, ding
Ring, ring, ring

When the sun rises
A ray of light shines over the town

When everyone in the town
wakes to start their day

Yawn, yawn, yawn
“Good morning”

Ding, ding, ding
Ring, ring, ring

When the moon rises
the blanket called night

covers that pink coral
orange-red sky

Then everyone, big and small
tall and short, goes to bed

Deeply
falls asleep

Original in Korean

종

딩, 딩, 딩
링, 링, 링

해가 떠오르면
한 줄기 빛이 마을을 비춥니다

마을의 모든 사람들이
하루를 시작하며 잠에서 깰 때

하품, 하품, 하품
“좋은 아침이에요”

딩, 딩, 딩
링, 링, 링

달이 떠오르면
밤이라는 이불이

저 분홍빛 산호색
주황빛 붉은 하늘을 덮습니다

그러고 나면 크고 작은
키 크고 작은 모든 사람들이 잠자리에 듭니다

깊이
잠이 듭니다

Monday morning

by

by Lea Zimmerlin
MS, USA

Ding, ding, ding
Yawn, yawn, yawn

“Wake up!”
Mom says.

“Oh dear,”
“You’ll be late!”

Monday morning
is truly the worst.

Original in Korean

월요일 아침

딩, 딩, 딩
하품, 하품, 하품

“일어나라!”
엄마가 말씀하신다.

“아이고”,
“너 늦겠다!”

월요일 아침은
정말이지 최악이다.

Mom’s Timer

by

Hayoon Kim
ES, South Korea

Inside all of our hearts,
there is an invisible timer.
Like Mom
I feel mom’s timer a little more special.

When we smile,
Mom’s timer ticks slowly,
peaceful like a quiet breeze,
gentle like a calm ripple of water.

But when we get irritated or upset,
her timer begins to race
swift as a fierce snowstorm,
hurried like a raging storm.

Sometimes I wonder,
what will happen
when her timer finally runs out?
Shh… at that moment,
maybe Mom won’t be by our side anymore.

That’s why, you know
if we want to stay with Mom longer,
and make many happy memories,
we need to help her timer
flow slowly.

I hope that today with Mom
shines forever,
and that days are always joyful and filled with happiness.

Original in Korean

To Spring

by


Hayoon Kim
ES, South Korea


Spring, Spring
You always come to find us.
You, who arrive after ending the long, long winter,
are like a warm romantic film.


Spring, Spring
You always give us hope.
A new semester, a new grade, a new beginning
Don’t you know how full of hope you are?


Spring, Spring
With you, I’m always happy.
The cool breeze, the beautiful flowers, and us shining because we’re together.
I want to enjoy today with you even more.


Sometimes I pass you by without noticing.
Sometimes winter gets jealous of us.
Sometimes you leave too quickly


But when you’re by my side,
I feel like I have the whole world.
I’ll always be here.
waiting for you


Even when you eventually go away,
You’ll come back again someday.
Don’t forget me until then.
I’ll miss you too, but I’ll be waiting.

Original in Korean