Yang Geum-Hee
Poetess Yang Geum-Hee was born in 1967 in Jeju, Korea. She published three books – two collections of poetry: ‘Happiness Account’, ‘Ieodo, Island of Legend and Existence’, and one collection of essay ‘Happy Companion. She was the first president of the Ieodo Literature Association, the editor in chief of the Jejuin News. She worked as a research fellow of the Society of Ieodo Research. She served as a researcher at Jeju Sea Grand Center at Jeju National University and a special professor at Jeju International University. Currently, she is editorial writer of New Jeju Ilbo, special researcher at the Institute of Social Sciences of Jeju National University, vice-president of the Jeju Regional Committee of the Korean PEN center, Executive of the Jeju Institute for the Korean Unification and Executive of the Korean Association of Ethics. She won 4 Literary Awards.
A Crape Myrtle
When you get discouraged,
I call you a crape myrtle
Hoping you might be full of life,
As a flower tree red for one hundred days,
A crape myrtle.
Named like that
Your appearance, withering with heat,
Might recover subtle aroma and
Rosy color again,
And for one hundred days
You may put out prink buds,
I call you
A crape myrtle,
Pretending as if I don’t know your name.
***
목백일홍(木百日紅)
양금희
풀죽은 너에게
백일홍 하고 부르면
백일쯤 생기를 더 뿜을 것 같아
다정히 불러본다
너를 부르면
무더위로 시들던 너의 자태에
은은한 향기와 화색이 돌아
백일쯤은 분홍 꽃망울
맘껏 피울 것 같아
네 이름 모른 척
불러보네
백일홍.
*백일홍
7월에 꽃이 피기 시작하여 꽃이 다 지기까지 100일 정도 걸린다 하여 백일홍이라고 함.
***
The Yellow Jumper
The yellow winter jumper,
Received as a gift long ago,
I lost
Much regret follows
As much as fondness
For the lost things.
Where did I put
The bright color of purity
On the gray pavement?
It is so clear
My days of chick’s downy hair,
Spring time it was
Lost, so remaining forever in my heart.
***
노란점퍼
양금희
오래 전에 선물로 받은
노란 겨울 점퍼
잃어버렸다
잃어버린 것은
아끼던 만큼
아쉬움이 따른다
어디에 두고 왔을까
회색빛 포도鋪道에서
화색이 돌던 순수
너무도 선명하다
병아리의 솜털을 가졌던 시기
봄이었으니
잃어서 영원히 가슴에 남아
***
Essay on soil
Soil is the mother of all living things
Giving a Belly to bear seeds
Giving warm hugs for raise
Giving fond look to the tender buds
Hold trees which is swaying in the wind
Permit its root deep into her flesh
Regardless of grains and weeds,
Treat them without discrimination
Ants and elephants,
Neither the wicked nor the good,
All step on earth’s back and walk a long way
Peace and rage, war and love
All equal on the ground
All beings
Crumble on the soil
When all things turn to dust and lie down
Earth Hug warmly and tightly
***
흙에 대한 소고
양금희
흙은 생물들의 어머니다
배를 내주어 씨앗을 품고
따스한 포옹으로 키운다
여린 새싹들을 다정히 보며
바람에 흔들거리는 나무들
제살 깊이 박아 붙들어준다
곡식과 잡초를 가리지 않고
차별없이 대해준다
개미도 코끼리도
악인도 어린이도
그 등을 밟고 먼 길을 걸어간다
평화와 분노도 전쟁과 사랑도
흙 위에서는 평등하다
모든 존재는
흙 위에서 스러져간다
언젠가 먼지가 되어 돌아누우면
대지는 따뜻하게 꼭 안아준다
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