＜RICE CAKE＞ 떡이 먹고 싶어요 - 윤동재 시인의 ＜떡＞

[김문철]

RICE CAKE

by D.J. YOON

TTEOK-DO TTEOK-DO
Mugwort rice cake with growing mugwort tucked
Together we share and talk

Rice cakes that gather friends in a circle of luck

TTEOK-DO TTEOK-DO
So many, so full, they overflow,
Yet only a picture, not for the mouth
Rice cakes that no one can taste, though they glow

TTEOK-DO TTEOK-DO
Neither on your side nor on mine
Half-moon songpyeon, plain jeolpyeon too
Rice cakes that everyone finds just fine

TTEOK-DO TTEOK-DO
Even with your stomach growling tight
You nod and puff and hurry in fright
Yet not a single bite in sight

TTEOK-DO TTEOK-DO
No phlegm in garaetteok, no flea in bindaetteok
Rice cakes anyone can gladly enjoy
Free and easy, with laughter to unlock

TTEOK-DO TTEOK-DO
Baekgyeol of Silla, with his geomungo sound
Pounded rice till dreams were found
Eat and eat, yet hunger goes round

Notes for Young Readers

Tteok (떡) means rice cake in Korean. There are many kinds — soft, chewy, sweet, or savory — often eaten during holidays or celebrations.

Geurim-ui tteok (그림의 떡) literally means rice cake in a picture — something that looks nice but you can’t actually have.

Garaetteok (가래떡) is a long, white rice cake stick. The word garae can also mean phlegm, so the poet jokes about a ‘phlegm-free’ rice cake.

Bindaetteok (빈대떡) is a mung-bean pancake. The word bindae also means flea, so ‘a flea-free pancake’ makes a funny twist.

Songpyeon (송편) and Jeolpyeon (절편) are different types of traditional rice cakes, often shared on holidays like Chuseok.

Baekgyeol (백결) was a legendary musician in the ancient Korean kingdom of Silla, said to have pounded rice for tteok with the music of his geomungo (a six-string zither).

떡

-윤동재

떡도 떡도

쑥쑥 자란 쑥을 쑥쑥 넣은 쑥떡

오순도순 나눠 먹는 떡

떡도 떡도

많고 많아 넘쳐나도 그림의 떡

누구도 못 먹는 떡

떡도 떡도

네 편도 아니고 내 편도 아닌 송편 절편

누구나 맛있게 먹는 떡

떡도 떡도

엄청 배를 졸쫄 곯아도 끄떡끄떡 헐레벌떡

아무도 단 한 입도 못 먹는 떡

떡도 떡도

가래 없는 가래떡 빈대 없는 빈대떡

너도나도 맘 놓고 즐겨 먹는 떡

떡도 떡도

신라의 백결 선생 거문고로 떡방아 찧어 만든 떡

먹어도 먹어도 더욱더욱 배고픈 떡

RICE CAKE 떡

Appreciation Review 感想

Rice Cake is a fun and cheerful poem that makes readers smile with its rhythm and playful words.

The repeated line TTEOK-DO TTEOK-DO sounds like a happy song, making the poem lively and musical.

Each part talks about different kinds of rice cakes — some that can be shared, some that only exist in pictures, and some that everyone enjoys together.

Through these rice cakes, the poem shows friendship, laughter, and imagination.

It’s an easy and joyful poem that helps children feel the warmth of Korean culture and the happiness of sharing food with others.

#tteok  #homonym

[김문철]

읽는 이의 마음을 미소짓게 하는 즐겁고 밝은 동시입니다. ^_^

[푸른솔]

감사합니다