The Distant Lights

Headlights glowing through the

Fabric silhouette of a white shirt, a single word

Burning giants are flying toward
The bricks of these old, familiar sidewalks

So you live where the lights are
With the sights and smells of a small, busy city 

True, it's in your nature, I guess,
Can't get away from other souls, can you?

I see your footsteps as they

Walk away from me, and the reluctance

And those fearful eyes that dart
Away from mine, away from the dark sky

The spring breeze is warm
What's so interesting about red bricks?

Standing beneath a friendly moon
Scattered pieces of the far-off, shimmering galaxies

Just behold this glory, that's all
I have ever dreamed of giving you, so for now

Enjoy the sunsets and cloudless nights,
And find a place to drive your car, to see these stars.

Thought Cascade

Current names on how to fill out forms,
Wrap cold knuckles on the table, don't smile and
Greet me silently, be creative I guess,

Strange, just standing around alone with
Skinny legs and black jewels for blinking eyes
On the electric turquoise backdrop,

Like a new, strange numerical value
Yeah, I got it, with you I actually never know
What the hell I'm talking about

Reality is coffee-drenched
With bitter chalk built up under my fingernails,
So much for falling in love

I wouldn't be waking up serious
In bed with you at the break of dawn, cold water
On a bleak blue shirt, sleeplessness.

Charlottesville//Seoul

This city bus is such a nuisance
It’s never on time and it smells bad
I don’t care if it’s free, it’s absolutely terrible,
I’d pay the 800 won to Shinchon station
And this time I’ll not be late
To meet you, even if it’s thirty-two celsius
Your smile warms me up anyway,
From Gangnam Exit Number 7 are quiet mountains,
And despite my immaturity,
Compare your arm with mine and let me
Call you yellow, and I feel guilty
That I never kissed you, and never held you
When you were shivering in the cold
In the gray rain, in that striking black suit
While waiting for the bus
Frequent stops, no speed limit for the
Ahjusshi at the wheel, and your protective
Guidance of me, the little glances
and I never said so, but this was so beautiful.


More poems from NaPoWriMo. We're on the downward spiral and I feel like I have grown so much as a writer. Head on over to rentcollective.wordpress.com to peruse all of my writings and those of the other amazingly creative people who participated in this challenge with me.
-A.K.-

April Update: 5 Things of Lately

1. I've been enjoying hanging out with friends lately, despite the fact that finals are just around the corner and there are much more important things to be doing. There are only 11 days of regular classes left so I've officially given up on being like those structured, scheduled, good grades kids I know and am focusing primarily on survival, haha. In which case I've been spending time with my friends...isn't that a little counter intuitive? Oh, well. I will miss those who are about to graduate.

2. In the same vein, I actually saw The Avengers for the first time last night. I'm behind the times, guys, I know. Prepare for a summer of superhero movies, I guess. That and Miami Vice, at least 6 K-dramas I'm dying to watch, finishing a short story, finishing a novel, and getting a job. I don't think I'll be able to fit this all in. -_-

3. ISTJs vs. ENFJs: adventures with MBTI

Tunnel vision fears-I need manga Tamaki

I recently found myself getting very wrapped up in a handsome guy until my mom pointed out that he's an ISTJ. I finally asked him, since I had noticed the way I felt around him was super-comfortable. I was always about to burst at the sides over his stupid, corny jokes. He reminds me of my dad, grandfather, best guyfriend, and baby brother wrapped into one person. Not a bad combination, but surefire ISTJ. Predictably, my interest in him has waned. The thing about being in university is that I have had the opportunity to meet many variations of the types I have been reading about for all of these years. Despite meeting many attractive, friendly, interesting, etc, types, the only ones who seem to make an impression on me are the three ENFJs I've run into. It's so SJ-like predictable.

KYAHHHHGAFKEWIFDJKSF

Makes me wonder if there is some innate chemistry with certain types that we just can't get rid of or if I am in a kind of tunnel vision and can't see the appeal of other types. On the other hand, I'm aware of the fact that they also aren't MBTI's "ideal" type for ISFJ, so am I just appropriately deviating from the expected norm? ;)

But that aside, how does one get an ENFJ to pay them any attention? He's rather the type to wander about aimlessly in regard to love, isn't he? I wonder how my father ever got my mother's attention; perhaps by appearing aloof and hard to get. I basically appear that way without even trying, not to mention my tendency to scare all of the guys I know, anyway. I am here, ENFJs. I am interesting! I like rock music, kawaii cheerleader skirts, red wine, and soju! Hehehem.

He was so adorable (I actually liked the quiet guy in this drama too....maybe there's hope.)

Then again, I think I'm too far gone.

Let's not even talk about this...

No. Just no. WHY.

This show was practically pro-ENFJ-male PROPAGANDA. My mom really liked this show. I just kept thinking about how far gone I was. 

Hopelessness. I'm just listing my favorite romances ever in this picture-spam. 

I'll stop now. I admit, I've brainwashed myself into this fate. I even took a Dramafever "your perfect guy" type test yesterday. It was a little bit boring to read the description. I was thinking I might get something riveting this time, like "shoots a lot of guns and gets in car chases, has slicked back hair, rides motorcycle and acts like he hates you"...not puppies, tears, and art (Rain from My Lovable Girl) all over again. If I could go back and give myself one piece of advice it would be: Do not watch Kimi Ni Todoke. Your life will be changed.  

4. National Poetry Writing Month
A friend from my Korean class put me up to this challenge and I have to admit, writing a poem every day has been hard and yet fun at the same time. I missed a few days already since I have been having a busy month (what with all of the finals and term papers approaching-oh wait, did you say I need to be working on that right now?), but it id improving my writing and style. I find myself contemplating a piece a little longer (moving out of my tendency to write impulsively). I also find myself thinking "Is this a very good piece, or is it second-rate?" before I post it. I have still posted pieces I found less impressive because I believe that quantity is more important than quality in these writing challenges.

Link to our sparkly wordpress site, ooh-la-la: https://rentcollective.wordpress.com/


5. My room
I've decided I just can't keep my room in an acceptably tidy state. This ends up with me literally freaking out the night before I plan on having someone come over and despite all of my excited claims that people would come visit me all of the time when I got a single room, introversion has prevailed. Last time an acquaintance came to the language house and was within a foot of my doorstep I....well, I freaked out because there were dirty dishes, laundry, and papers strewn everywhere. I should have taken the trash out a few days before that, and I knew it.
Basically, I really need a roommate/a social life to help me preserve my last few shreds of humanity. Other option: give me Joo Won instead.

Ooooooh yeah!

That's all for now~
Gotta go write another page of that Chinese Art History term paper. My topic is Tang pottery. Glazes and styles and such, I'm rather enjoying it. ^_^

-A.K.-

Feathers

There have always been reasons, 
For my swift handshakes in the burning sunlight
Of a late August day, hot and stifling air
Filling your lungs, curious bright eyes and warm skin

You've got electricity in those veins
Could run a power plant off that magnetic feeling
So I chose to turn away from you
Because I know that you're meant to be as you are

Who in the world ever wished
For nothing but their own stability, to clip the wings
Of a little bird, who cries every night
To be free, fly away, find the longed-for resting place?

If I were to stand next to you, I know
All too well, the hypocrites who keep caged birds,
Even in the light of your brilliance
I leave you be, for the love of other imprisoned spirits.

Wall of Glass

This old memory flickers in and out
Insignificant, like the strands of your gelled hair
Disheveled by stress and exhaustion,
Sipping the proper dosage of poison on the rocks,

And I won't ever tell you anything
About how this feeling so deeply resonates
Within my chest, and leaps about
If I meet your gaze, but I will blush fiercely

"Meet me at the edge of the river,
On a humid evening, when the air warm and heavy
And the gray dust of city traffic
Will stain the sunset a vibrant, stunning red,

I need no encouragement, for
I would kiss you sober if only I were allowed to,"
But I have realized that you are
Like a rare gem, a stunning beauty behind a wall of glass.