Lee, Hee Kuk, renowned poet from Korea, the Land of Morning Calm, shares his three poems

Poet Lee, Hee Kuk was born in Seoul city of South Korea. He is Pharmacist and Adjunct Professor of College of Pharmacy, The Catholic University of Korea. He is a member of Executive of PEN Korean Center of PEN International. He has published 5 poetry books and won 4 literature awards.

Halt Station

Several layers of silence lie like railroad sleeper tie

This place

Time which does not look back

There is only a disappearing direction to look at for a long time

When the railroad track bent into a corner,

The corner of the sky is torn apart,

The space is wet

Season of deafness,

Time is deaf

The expression of spring that has come back from a long way,

Yellow on the railroad

At what point did the folded heart transfer?

Those who left never returned

Azaleas from the back mountain waved red hands

Another person passes by at the halt station of memories

There is a wrinkled time that do not straighten out

***

간이역

이희국

몇 겹의 고요가 침목처럼 깔려있다

이곳은

뒤를 돌아보지 않는 시간과

오래도록 바라보는 사라진 방향만 있다

철길이 모퉁이로 휘어지던 그 때

하늘의 귀퉁이가 우두둑 뜯어지고

허공이 다 젖었다

난청의 계절

시간은 귀가 어두워

먼 길 한 바퀴 돌아온 봄의 표정이

철길에 노랗다

접힌 마음은 어느 지점에서 환승했을까

떠난 이들은 아무도 돌아오지 않았다

뒷산 진달래가 붉은 손을 흔들고

기억의 간이역으로 또 누군가 스쳐간다

펴지지 않는 주름진 시간도 있다

***

Bridge

A bridge to the island is built,

People crossed the sea on foot

When I was young, there was a teacher like grand bridge,

He was my bridge

Parents used return to home late at night,

I stayed in the classroom and read until dark

The day it snowed outside the window,

Warm hands wrapped around my shoulders

Korean language teacher,

He took my hand and led me to the office and home

A flower that bloomed in a remote corner, caressing it

The love that made me ride on his shoulders,

It was a bridge which connects winter to spring

Outside the window, it snows like that day

Cars which biting their tails light up the darkness pass Yeongjong Bridge

The road which is over the sea is bright

***

다리

섬으로 가는 다리가 놓이고

사람들은 걸어서 바다를 건넜다

어린 시절 그런 대교 같은 선생님은

나의 다리였다

밤늦게 집으로 돌아오시던 부모님

나는 어둑할 때까지 교실에 남아 책을 읽었다

창밖에 눈이 내리던 날

어깨를 감싸는 따뜻한 손,

국어선생님은

내 손을 잡고 교무실로, 집으로 데려가주셨다

외진 구석에 피어있던 꽃, 어루만지며

목말까지 태워 주신 사랑은

겨울에서 봄을 이어주는 다리였다

창밖에는 그날처럼 눈이 내리고

꼬리를 문 차들이 어둠을 밝히며 영종대교를 지나고 있다

바닷물 위에 길이 환하다

***

Horizontality

Sparrow on an electric wire

Until you get used to the peaceful tension of your body

There must have been a lot of embarrassment

Until we become one with the sky

How many trials have you had to endure?

Willingness to climb rather than fear

On a thin line

It would have made it possible for them to sleep too.

Underlines under the sky

Tightly woven balanced shelves

***

수평

전기 줄 위의 참새

평화로운 긴장 몸에 배기까지는

수많은 허둥거림이 있었을 것이다

하늘과 한 몸이 되기까지

얼마나 많은 시련을 달게 받았을까

두려움보다는 오르려는 의지가

가는 줄 위에서

잠도 잘 수 있게 만들었을 것이다

하늘 아래 밑줄들

촘촘히 엮인 균형 잡힌 선반

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