Jeong Ho-seung's poem (46)

Stepping Stones

Translated by Brother Anthony and Susan Hwang

Water flows as it should

ice freezes as it should

but I cannot live as I should

and lie flat, turned into stepping stones.

Today again the water is cold, the current fast.

Please, don’t fall into the water

but stamp on me and cross over vigorously.

How many more times will we be able

to cross the blue stream’s stepping stones?

Sometimes stepping stones turn into water and flow away.

Stepping stones turned into water flow far away

and there are times when they can never be seen again

no matter how much we want to see them.

* * *

We serve others as stepping stones so that they can advance safely in life; others serve us in the same way, before passing on out of this life, since we all are mortal

.