Literature may often be associated with the printed page, but poetry transcends both medium and time. At its core, poetry is a song, brought to life through sound rather than text. Its meaning emerges through voice, breath and emotion, making every recitation unique. I was reminded of this after attending recently monthly meeting of Space Poetry Reading Society in Seoul, the longest and distinguished of its kind among Korea's poetry recital groups. In the 1970s, poetry readings flourished in the tea houses and taverns of Myeong-dong and Jongno, Seoul, where audiences gathered to experience poems as living performances rather than words on a page. The origins of the Space Poetry Reading Society date back to the early 1970s, when renowned poet Ku Sang, then teaching at the University of Hawaii, visited an artists' cafe in San Francisco. There, he experienced poetry recitations accompanied by live music and commentary — an inspiring blend of performance and literary appreciation that prompted him to establish a similar forum in Korea upon his return. After returning to Korea in the mid-19