Ferryboat and Traveler

A Korean Poem

I am the ferryboat
You are the traveler.

You tread on me with muddy feet,
I embrace you
and cross over the water.
When I embrace you,
Deeps or shallows
or fast shooting rapids,
I can cross over.

When you don’t come I wait from dark to dawn,
in the chill wind, the wet of snow and rain;
Once over the water you go on without a glance back.

No matter, I know that sooner or later you will come,
While I wait for you, day after day I go on growing older.

I am the ferryboat, you the traveler.

©Han Yong-un