GRANDMA, GRANDPA, I LOVE YOU

Grandma, Grandpa, I love you.
You were my first parents before mine.
You raised me for seven years since I was born,
Loving unconditionally through actions rather than words.
Grandma, Grandpa, I love you.
I always say “I love you” with my mouth,
But I have always loved you both from my heart.
I always think about you both in my mind.

Grandma, Grandpa, you always cared for me.
I remember you both cried for me when
You worried about my health and well-being.
I always appreciated it and felt grateful.

Grandma, Grandpa, you always took me with you.
I didn’t have friends, so you became my first.
You would always take me to my favorite place,
Where we knew no one could find us in peace.

Grandma, Grandpa, you never left me alone.
You always took me with you to visit your friends.
Your friends adored me as if I were their own.
Relatives visited, checking how I was doing with you.

Grandma, Grandpa, you spoiled me rotten,
Showering me with love since I was your first.
Dressing me as if I were a princess, so I could spin around,
With my stubborn, mischievous smile on my face.

Grandma, Grandpa, I love you.
All I wish is for you to be happy and healthy.
I may not talk to you every day, but sometimes
I still want you to know I love you—always and forever.

Grandma, Grandpa, I love you.
You taught me the way of loving myself,
Before loving others, to appreciate love in life.
I will always cherish and remember your love for me.

Grandma, Grandpa, I love you.

Grandma, Grandpa, How Did You Guys Meet?

Grandma, Grandpa
How did you guys meet?

I remember when I was young at your place.
I was thirsty one night. Before coming out from the room,
I saw figures dancing under the moon. It was you—both of you.

You were dancing on the small balcony,
Where flowers bloomed as they danced with you.
Laughing and smiling quietly while everyone slept,
Except me, amazed to see you both dance.

Even though the space was small and cramped, it didn’t bother you.
You were too busy in love. You were both in love.
I don’t have a lover, but I am lucky to witness your love,
Twisting and turning hands as your bodies moved.

Oh~, how I wish I could experience love like yours.
The way you both look, the way you both love—it is so pure.
I want my lover to look at me as sincerely as you do.
Oh~, will I ever find the one who treats me right like you?

Love, love, love, love, love—
Just like how you met,
In the neighborhood, in the dance.
Back then, it was post-war Korea.

Grandma, Grandpa
How did you guys meet?
It all started with letters.
That’s how your love began.

You proudly told me that you have piles of letters at home.

If I remember, it was during the Vietnam War.
I had to participate in war twice. Your grandma
Was worried that I wouldn’t survive.
Look at me now—I survived twice, just to be with her.

Forever, ever, till the very end, until death parts us.
Humming softly. To this day, I am still with her.
I stay for her till the very end because I love her so much.
She’s my woman in this lifetime.

I asked her to be mine before other men could.
Laughing happily and humming softly.
Oh~, I am envious of your love. Will I find someone like yours?
Oh~, will I ever experience my love like yours?

Grandma, Grandpa
How did you guys meet?
It all started with letters.
That’s how your love began.
Grandma, Grandpa, I love you.

Seung Kyung Rhee is a Korean-Australian poet whose work explores self-love, healing, emotional depth, and the quiet power of inner transformation. She began writing poetry as a way to rediscover herself, and her pieces are known for their softness, clarity, and reflective beauty. She is currently based in Australia, where she is studying nursing while continuing to write and grow her creative voice. Adelaide Literary Magazine marks her first formal publication.