If the luminous moon were a jade bead, it could be stolen by those with power or position. If the moon’s wheel-light on the water were taken as a pearl, could it reflect on…
Posts Published by Guest Contributor
For over sixty years, Portland Review has been supported by contributions from writers, editors, readers, and advocates of the literary arts. The journal is produced by the graduate students in the English Department at Portland State University, which is a nonprofit public institute.
Instead of Heaven or Earth, I Answer by Hyesim
There are 10,000 distinctions and 1,000 differences among matter— they all follow occasions of fancy. If one abandons this discriminating mind what forms of matter are unique? Poetry of Hyesim Translated by: Ian…
Pure Pond by Hyesim
Colder than melted ice it glistens: a newly-ground mirror. The pond’s one pure mood easily reflects 1,000 shadows. Poetry of Hyesim Translated by: Ian Haight Image by: Jun Takeuchi
Replying to Chon, Serving the 4th Grade of Government by Hyesim
You went to the castle markets, and I to the sea-blue mountain— no matter how briefly we met, there was no disharmony. The earthly life of temples and cities has both black nights and bright…
To My Reflection by Hyesim
This weeks poems are part of a project by Ian Haight to translate the works of Hyesim; he was the first Zen poet in Korea, and the tradition of Zen Buddhist poetry in Korea begins…