Sitting in the flower garden, I watch the new sprouts,
Lifting my eyes to the sky, I gaze at the clouds.
Poet Ms. Tak Yung Wan, who writes under the pen name Yeondam, which means Lotus Talk, is author of 14 poetry collections
Poet Ms. Tak Yung Wan, who writes under the pen name Yeondam (meaning “Lotus Talk”), was born in Jinju. She made her literary debut in 1986 through the journal Poetic Literature under the mentorship of the renowned poet Moon Deok-su.
Throughout her distinguished career, she has played an active role in the Korean literary community. She currently serves as an advisor to the Korea center of the International PEN, president of the Busan Chapter of the Korean Poetic Literature Writers’ Association, senior advisor to the Korean Modern Poets’ Association, and president of the Literary Division of the Busanjin-gu Cultural and Artistic Association.
Tak Young-wan has been recognized with several prestigious literary awards, including the 32nd Korean Modern Poets Association Award in 2009 and the 30th Busan Poets Association Award in 2022.
She has published fourteen volumes of poetry, among them Green Ray and The Golden-Crowned Goldcrest, works that reflect her refined sensibility and philosophical depth. After dedicating forty years to teaching in secondary education, she retired in 2011, continuing since then to devote herself entirely to poetry and literary activities.
Such a Relationship
Such a RelationshipSitting in the flower garden, I watch the new sprouts,
Lifting my eyes to the sky, I gaze at the clouds.
This world or the next—it’s all the same.
Living or dead—it’s all the same.
Seeing or not seeing—it’s all the same.
Like the lovers of Valdaro,
It is the outside of an embrace.
***
그런 사이
꽃밭에 앉아서 새싹을 보네
하늘 우러러 구름을 보네
이승이나 저승이나 마찬가지
살아 있거나 죽어있거나 마찬가지
보거나 못 보거나 마찬가지
발다로의 연인이듯 포옹의 생 바깥이네
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