Flower (Kim Ch’un-su 1922~2004)

Kim Ch’un-su 1922~2004

 

Before I spoke his name

he was simply

one set of gestures, nothing more.

Then I spoke his name,

he came to me

and became a flower.

Just as I spoke his name,

I hope that someone will speak my name,

one right for my color and perfume.

I long to go to him

and become his flower.

We all of us

long to become something.

You for me, and I for you,

we long to become a never-to-be-forgotten gaze.

 

Translated by Brother Anthony of Taizé who was born in Cornwall in 1942, He has been living in Korea since 1980, teaching English literature in Sogang University (Seoul), where he is now an Emeritus Professor. He is also a Chair-Professor at Dankook University, and is currently serving as President of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch. He has published over thirty volumes of English translations of Korean literature, mostly poetry, including works by Ku Sang, Ko Un, Ch’on Sang-Pyong, So Chong-Ju, Shin Kyong-Nim, Yi Si-Young, Kim Yeong-Nang, Kim Seung-Hee, Kim Kwang-Kyu. He took Korean citizenship in 1994 and An Sonjae is his official Korean name. He received the Korean government’s Award of Merit, Jade Crown class, in October 2008 for his work in promoting knowledge of Korean literature in the world.

Grass (Kim Su-Yŏng 1921 – 1968)

 

Kim Su-Yŏng (1921 – 1968)

The grass is lying flat.

Fluttering in the east wind that brings rain in its train,

the grass lay flat

and at last it wept.

As the day grew cloudier, it wept even more

and lay flat again.

 

The grass is lying flat.

It lies flat more quickly than the wind.

It weeps more quickly than the wind.

It rises more quickly than the wind.

 

The day is cloudy, the grass is lying flat.

It lies low as the ankles

low as the feet.

Though it lies flat later than the wind,

it rises more quickly than the wind

and though it weeps later than the wind,

it laughs more quickly than the wind.

The day is cloudy, the grass’s roots are lying flat.

 

Translated by Brother Anthony of Taizé who was born in Cornwall in 1942, He has been living in Korea since 1980, teaching English literature in Sogang University (Seoul), where he is now an Emeritus Professor. He is also a Chair-Professor at Dankook University, and is currently serving as President of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch. He has published over thirty volumes of English translations of Korean literature, mostly poetry, including works by Ku Sang, Ko Un, Ch’on Sang-Pyong, So Chong-Ju, Shin Kyong-Nim, Yi Si-Young, Kim Yeong-Nang, Kim Seung-Hee, Kim Kwang-Kyu. He took Korean citizenship in 1994 and An Sonjae is his official Korean name. He received the Korean government’s Award of Merit, Jade Crown class, in October 2008 for his work in promoting knowledge of Korean literature in the world.

Unable to forget (Kim So-wol 1902-1934)

Kim So-wol (Korean Poet)

 

You may remember, unable to forget:

yet live a lifetime, remember or forget,

For you will have a day when you will come to forget.

 

You may remember, unable to forget:

Let your years flow by, remember or forget,

For once in a while, you will forget.

 

On the other hand it may be:

‘How could you forget

What you can never forget?’

 

Translated by Brother Anthony of Taizé who was born in Cornwall in 1942, He has been living in Korea since 1980, teaching English literature in Sogang University (Seoul), where he is now an Emeritus Professor. He is also a Chair-Professor at Dankook University, and is currently serving as President of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch. He has published over thirty volumes of English translations of Korean literature, mostly poetry, including works by Ku Sang, Ko Un, Ch’on Sang-Pyong, So Chong-Ju, Shin Kyong-Nim, Yi Si-Young, Kim Yeong-Nang, Kim Seung-Hee, Kim Kwang-Kyu. He took Korean citizenship in 1994 and An Sonjae is his official Korean name. He received the Korean government’s Award of Merit, Jade Crown class, in October 2008 for his work in promoting knowledge of Korean literature in the world.