—
All around the house cicadas scream
a rush of wind through the leaves
Silence
A truck meanders its way through the neighborhood below
announcing something or another
fresh fruit! bring your used electronics out! big watermelons are coming!
In the other room, Suhee talks on the phone to a friend
The cicadas continue their screams in waves
the truck’s message continues to meander
a mailman on a moped putts by, and an American military jet
rushes overhead, toward the sea
Again
all around the house cicadas scream
a rush of wind through the leaves
—
Patrick M. Lydon
written on South Korea’s independence day
written on South Korea’s independence day
—