“Dance outside on a moonlit summer night with the love of my life in my arms.”
And hear the crunching of the leaves
Under our bare feet.

But be careful jumping hurdles!
Still the crickets sing in the moon light.
He'd a diamond fist for an arm.

I really just hoped no one would see.
Dancing under the palm tree.

When by shapes my words are known, I try.
So please don't cry.

This is the happiest day of my life.

© Ronald J Chapman All Rights Reserved.

I haven't been able to remember a dream about Korea in a while. However, this one came back with a vengeance.

Walking along the streets in Seoul Korea.
Not sure where. Maybe Itaewon because of all the young women I saw shopping and wearing black hip-hop caps.
If this wasn't odd enough. They were all wearing the exact same clothes.
As it turns out. I had woken up sitting on the sidewalk and stood up. I looked around and saw shops. All of the woman walking past me were wearing hanbok (traditional Korean clothes) with a white blouse and pink skirt with pink and white roses in the middle of the blouse. They all had black caps that did not let me see their faces. The caps all had the word  'Boys' printed on them. As the woman walked past me, they would point their finger at me and laugh and say something that I did not understand.
I looked down to see If I was dressed or not. I was dressed in a suit and tie. I guess I thought I was naked.

The next thing I know. I'm being dragged inside a shop by two elderly women. One who looked like my mother and the other looked like my grandmother. Both are no longer with us.  Yelling at me in the Korean language and pointing to a table with a hanbok outfit on it. There was an ocean blue shirt, purple pants, and slippers with a black robe.
They keep yelling at me and then start trying to undress me. The next thing I know. I'm wearing the hanbok outfit.

The two woman then show me to the door bowing, crying and saying
Congratulations on your marriage.

Copyright © Ronald J Chapman All Rights Reserved

She will never break my heart again!
Yes indeed I'm alone again!

She was no good for me. All she did is look past me.

In the cellar of fantasy my heart waits.
My heart breaks.
Broken heart locked away in a suitcase.

Rainy and cold
Lonely is the room,
The bed is made,
The open window lets in the rain.

You don't care about anything.
Well, I feel too old to hold on.

Beyond this moment of time, your past lovers hurt!

In the cellar of fantasy my heart waits.
I know some people search the world,
Traveling to distant places in space and time.

Trapped away in this fantasy.
I see an awesome soul each time I look in your eyes.
Eyes locked shut.  

You stole the key.

Copyright © Ronald J Chapman All Rights Reserved

I am always asked,

“How can I love and write about a place that I have never been to,
Korea?”

Crazy, I know!

I like the romantic answer.
I lived and suffered in this place called Korea in a past life.
Or I will be born Korean in a hundred years.

In any case. This place called Korea,
Will always be in my dreams...

“Have you ever been lucky enough to figure out where your dreams come from? I have. I've written many poems about a place that I have only been to in my dreams.  This beautiful place is called Korea.”
- Ronald J Chapman

“I'm in love with cities I've never been to and people I've never met.”
- John Green, “Paper Towns”

“Is it possible to miss a place you've never been? To mourn a time you never lived?”
- Jack Harper, “Oblivion”


Copyright © Ronald J Chapman All Rights Reserved

Manes sneaks!

Where is the king?

King stalks!

Sneaks quietly like a slow breeze.

The wind dies with a big roar.

Love is a strong cat.

The lion endures like a hot jungle.

Strong,  giant quietly fights a rifle's bullet.

Wow, courage!

Roars die!

King falls like a brave soldier...


Copyright © Ronald J Chapman All Rights Reserved