Reflection

In Korean mythology, the fisherman Yeono and his wife Seo climbed onto a whale-shaped rock. Instantly, they were transported to Japan—described in the myth as a “new sea”— and made King and Queen. In another myth, a village was swallowed whole by a whale. The villagers played tujeon card games, or traditional Korean playing cards, in its belly. However, a fight broke out over the victor of the game and the whale was killed in the process, only for each of the villagers to stroll home carrying chunks of the whale’s abdomen as prizes. In yet another, a swallow took flight from a tree branch in the morning, flew all the way across the Pacific, and landed on another tree branch on the other side. In actuality, these tree branches were the antennae of a shrimp, indicating that the Pacific is bound within the span of the shrimp’s antennae. This triptych explores all three myths through three respective columns, underscoring the interconnectedness of nature through the numerous ways this poem can be read—namely, as a whole or as parts. This creative lens allowed me to explore my own ties to the ocean and the destructive, viciously cyclic nature of humanity’s relationship with it. While writing this poem, I realized just how deeply my cultural roots were intertwined with the ocean and sought to showcase our indelible connection to nature. Hurting the ocean will only hurt us.