A Korean Love Song

Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.

"Love Song" from The Korean Repository by James S. Gale, 1896.

Farewell's a fire that burns one's heart,

And tears are rains that quench in part,

But then the winds blow in one's sighs,

And cause the flames again to rise.

My soul I've mixed up with the wine,

And now my love is drinking, Into his orifices nine

Deep down its spirit's sinking.

To keep him true to me and mine,

A potent mixture is the wine.

Silvery moon and frosty air,

Eve and dawn are meeting;

Widowed wild goose flying there,

Hear my words of greeting!

On your journey should you see

Him I love so broken-hearted,

Kindly say this word for me,

That it's death when we are parted.

Flapping off the wild goose clambers,

Says she will if she remembers.

Fill the ink-stone, bring the water,

To my love I'll write a letter;

Ink and paper soon will see

The one that's all the world to me,

While the pen and I together,

Left behind, condole each other.

James S. Gale, "Love Songs," The Korean Repository 3 (October 1896).

James S. Gale

TOTA Curated Archives

This group houses a collection of articles pulled from the public domain. They focus on primary sources showing individual viewpoints and important cultural works. Please note that some articles collected here contain outdated ideas, terms, and viewpoints. The authors here do not represent TOTA's opinions or positions but have been offered for the historic value of their observations.

View Group