This poem is dedicated to those who gave their lives
for Korean independence, especially Yun Kwang Soo a young student of Ewha Girl’s High School at the time. Walking through the Independence Park this poem stuck in my head. The poem is orginalworks @mineopoly and recorded live with a Korean traditional song called Arirang playing in the background. I took the pictures at the Independence Park in Seoul the same place of the independence movement march of March 1st, 1919.
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Frozen endless in time
They remain a terrestrial memory.
The ground rumbles
Justice hears her cry
After so many years freedom by and by.
Granite statues no longer sit still.
They say smile and join the earth to proclaim,
“Self-determination independence as a nation
March forward in demonstration.”
Shouts of freedom raise, “Manse, Manse!!”
March first marks the first march
No barricade could thwart the masses
Aimless annihilation
Shots fired with no hesitation
Eternal forces of self-determination
Unfizzled by the blow
Rise up from persecution.
Martyr’s voices tremor from the ground stronger than before,
“Manse! Manse!” Shouts transmulting in the fire,
Grapes of wrath crushed and pressed down
Fermented wine overflowing into the streets
The wine from veins of youth
A girl shouts, “Manse! Manse!” and she is no more
Our sister’s voice calls out from the ground,
“Self-determination.
Let us become a nation”
Illusory oceans that divide
Now come together with one heart and soul
The sea between us is no big deal
We’ve crossed it before and we will do it again.
The ground rumbles, “Manse! Manse!!”
Can you feel the echo calling from the ground?
Manse! Manse!
Manse!!
The word, “Manse!” is a word of victory and triumph which can be translated as “Long live our nation!!” I hope this poem will strengthen you and me to be strong and stand up as one people and one voice. For me personally poetry writing and recital helped me to overcome some fear and be strong. Today we learned one new Korean word, “Manse!!” Long live this Steemit community!!
Love,
365GROOVY
@mineopoly
mining the heart
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