Song, Jaihak
Song, Jaihak was born in Yeongcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do in 1955, and spent his childhood near Pohang and the Geumho River. After graduating from Kyungpook National University in 1982, he worked as a dentist and debuted as a poet in 1986 with the quarterly World Literature. He published poetry collections: ‘Ice Poems’ (Literature and Intelligence), ‘The Salesian House’ (World History), ‘Fighting against the blue light’ (Munhaksa), ‘Memories’ (World History), ‘He touches my face’ (Mineumsa), ‘Mud Face’ (Munye JoongAng), ‘Obtain my simplified body’ (Munhakdongne), ‘Dates’ (lyrical poetry), ‘Black’ (Literature and Intellectual Publishing), ‘Memories’ (blue paper), ‘It’s Sad Grass Gyeokhye Dew’ (Munhwajiseongsa), ‘Morning asked for a wedding’ (Munhakdongne). He has received several literary awards, such as 24th Pyunun Literary Award, 5th Lee Sang-shi Literary Award, 25th Geumbok Culture Award for Literature, 25th Sowolsi Literary Award, and the 5th Kim Dal-jin Literary Award.
Days and nights passing by like that
The road disappeared while hiking
The mist swallowed me and circled around me like my thoughts
Sound follows sound, tangled like a skein, the sound of water, the sound of wind, the sound of stones rolling,
But it is static that grabs the collar.
Whether it’s the white hand or the thin hand holding my hand, my fear resembles the wafting stems of a reed.
Like a monologue, when I stumble,
I get the feeling that this is an omission of life.
A mountain or something is spinning in front of me.
In front of my missing of whereabouts, there are silhouettes of unhappiness everywhere.
Slowly a narrow path came out.
The place where I first met the fog, the bamboo poles that were shaking because of the falling body temperature moved busily.
Branches are sprawling all over the place.
The cliff next to it engraves a scream as high as it is I doubted whether it was a grave from my shadow
If it’s something that can be forgotten over time, the memory won’t grow old.
Night and day are mingling for those who are lost and those who are speechless
Day bites night’s face and passes like night’s rule.
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그렇게 지나가는 낮과 밤
산행 중에 길이 사라졌다 나를 삼키고 안개는 내 생각처럼 주위를 맴돌았다 소리가 소리를 따라가며 실타래처럼 뒤엉키는 물소리 바람 소리 돌 구르는 소리, 정작 멱살을 움켜쥐는 건 정적이다 내 손을 붙잡는 흰 손인지 갸름한 손인지 무섬증은 갈대의 하늘거리는 줄기와 닮았다 독백처럼 발을 헛디디자 이건 생의 누락이라는 느낌이 다가온다 산인지 무엇인지 내 앞에서 자전하고 있는 거야 나의 행방불명 앞에서 불행이라는 실루엣이 곳곳에 있는 거지, 슬며시 좁은 길이 나왔다 처음 안개를 만난 곳, 떨어지는 체온 때문에 서걱대는 조릿대가 부산하게 움직였다 나뭇가지가 여기저기 마구 뻗어 있다 바로 옆의 낭떠러지는 비명을 높이만큼 새긴다 내 그림자부터 무덤인가 의심했다 시간이 지나서 잊을 수 있는 일이라면 기억은 늙지 않으리라 길을 잃어버린 사람과 말을 잃어버린 사람을 위하여 밤낮은 섞이고 있다 낮이 밤의 얼굴을 물어뜯고 밤의 규칙처럼 지나갔다
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