(Poems from my teen years)

*
Shoes in
various sizes
colors, shapes
Of all the shoes
only one pair was
what she
wanted
for her 19th birthday
When she found one
her eyes wandered off
for one better fit
like she did when
choosing
her potential fiancé
Days flew by, undecided
She went back to the store
to notice the shoes were taken
As she missed the shoes
she envisioned the man,
misty-eyed
Once he was
nearly
hers

*

This indecisiveness of me ultimately ended with my marriage.  Have I ever regretted or compared my husband with the man who once nearly mine?  Not
even once, to this day.  Mainly because I thought it was disgraceful thing to do.
Or, I loved the man who fathered my children.

During the decades of our marriage we’ve had some ups and downs.  But we
managed to stay in marriage.  At times, it wasn’t easy.  Times like that, we reminded ourselves that the divorce would bring unpleasant side effects.

As we get older we become more like good friends.  Or, like the cliche, we become like a pair of old shoes, feeling more comfortable than new ones.  I still
have a tendency of vacillating on some matters.  To me, it’s a form of thoughtfulness, which plays an important roll in keeping the marriage in track.
For that, I suppose, I should be thankful for the particular flaw of mine.  What
an irony!

(Byung A. Fallgren Blog)

With time
her fantasy and
dreams waned
pain gained
Of all the pains
she fiercely guards herself
from ones that disguise in
sweet kisses then
devour her soul

(Byung A. Fallgren)

You throw
all the misfortune
into me, and
I will turn them
into musing jewels

*
What a splendid display!
Her craft draws
the awe-stricken eyes
as if for the first time
She gives birth to
all the creatures
in her kingdom
polishes jagged refuse
tragedy
of past,
preserving the original
color so bright,
subtle hue
She imbues
her passion, philosophy
in each piece
as the final touch,
let them ponder
in eternal repose!

(Byung A. Fallgren Blog)

We sauntered around at the fair,
viewing cattle, arts and crafts,
All the while, I saw your face
in my mind, thinking
how I can bring you back to us
While dusting bookshelf,
at the computer,
all I think about is you
As a well-meaning friend
my heart bleeds for your abrupt leave

Are you taking a break?
Have you found a lover?
In that case, Congratulations!
Whatever you are doing,
come back, my friend
to your eager fans
to the poetry you left behind
which shouldn’t be the end,
for our lives go on

(by Byung A. Fallgren Blog)

I’ve neither seen you nor
heard of you, yet I sense you,
see you in my dream
feel you in my heart
I’m your future fiancé,
wife, mother of your child
Tonight, lying in my bed,
I feel you weep,
staring at the gun in your hand
Don’t do that, my love!
Why would you give up
your life over those who
snapped your dream,
plunged you into depression?
If you cannot help it,
seek medical help, my love
I maybe unseen by you
but I see you
in my dream,
feel you in my heart
See me, my love
Feel me
I’m your future wife
I need you!

*

This is written for both men and women who are suicidal victims of depression or any other form; “Unseen Woman” can be their family and friends.  Statistics show
suicide rate, especially among young people, rises in U.S. Being aware of the signs of people around you and help them can lower the rate.

(by Byung A. Fallgren.  Byung A. Fallgren Blog)

Being a single, you are vulnerable
to emotional wound, tend to be
charmed by good-looking people
without knowing their inner side
His or her poetry seem to mean
something about their lives even though
it’s a mere description of an image

When a person of interest is mysterious
and you cannot figure it out with
your common sense and intelligence,
avoid him or her then find another
who is clear as crystal
Save your soul from farther chasing
a phantom in your wild imagination

You are lovable, my friends
You deserve someone beautiful
and have a wonderful life

*
I don’t know what prompted me to write this.
I guess I’m having a senior moment.  : )

(by Byung A. Fallgren)

Her voice is
in the singing birds
Her smile is
in the morning sun
Her kiss is
in the breeze
Her warm embrace is
in the soft petals
Oh Mother, I see you
everywhere!

(by Byung A. Fallgren)

Spring is vibrant,
raw and impatient
Autumn is full and
reticent with resignation
Summer is fervent,
thoughtful, semi-mature
I wish summer is forever,
tugging at the fleeting season
like an estranged lover
Unfinished work need
to be done before
the end of the summer
but I’ll let it go,
cherish the days we
laughed and
cried together

REFLECTING ON SPRING AND SUMMER OF 2017 // FROM THE NATURE TO HUMAN

• Pruned the new growths from the dead apple tree’s root in my yard.  I started
  it from a sapling over two decades ago, so it’s like my child.
• Pruned and fertilized the lilac shrubs that returned with full bloom from the
  nearly dead condition years before, after getting hit by the disease.  This shrub
  is also like my child.
• Helped the robin couple build their nest behind the fake owl by moving the owl
  a bit farther from the wall, which brought the disaster to the robins.  They lost their
  hatchlings to a real owl in early spring.  The birds then built a new nest in the
  cottonwood tree–smart–successfully produced the second round new hatchlings.
  It all happened in my yard.  So, the birds are also like my um…special guests.  They
  are gone now and only the empty nest behind the fake owl tells their sad, early
  spring.
• Bade farewell to the girlfriend who passed on suddenly; shocked, regretted that
  we hadn’t been together often.  Realization:  Nothing lasts forever.
• Grieving again for my editor’s passing, jolting my book business.  Lost another good  friend.
• Attended my daughter’s wedding ceremony, culminating the summer with cheers!There is other stuff I haven’t mentioned but theses are the ones that will stay in my
  memory for a long time.  I hope coming autumn and winter will be better.  Having
  some hope is good; it drives us move forward.In advance, I bid farewell to the summer by saying it in Korean:  Annyong (goodbye), summer, until next year!  By then I’ll be one year older and gain some
  more wrinkles as well.
  Oh, I want to take one last look at the empty nest.  Considering the tragedy of the baby robins, I might tear it down.  Lesson learned:  As far as building bird nest goes, birds are way better than human.

  

  (by Byung A. Fallgren)

Each perl, a sum of
her patience, hard work,
refined by the stormy waves
and moonless nights

embraces the serene face reflects
on particular memory glistening like
a shard on sands

Butterfly casts a shadow upon the mask
that has become her alter ego, to disturb

the sediment that’s now merely
a sand grain of yesterdays

*

I’ve been posting shenanigans over two years now,
getting to know good people who would read my posts
regardless good or bad.  It’s time that I rev up my site;
post better, interesting ones, etc.  But I’m not quite ready
to change anything anytime soon; I’m always busy–who isn’t?
But I promise I’ll do it someday.  Meanwhile, I hope my friends
would stick with me, or it’ll be just a journal–without them I would’ve
disappeared long ago.  For that, I love you, my friends.

(by Byung A. Fallgren)