When kept in a fish tank,

Grows only 8 centimeters.

Dr. Lee, Hye Seon, an eminent poetess from Korea, the Land of Morning Calm, shares her poem

Poetess Dr. Lee, Hye Seon graduated from the Korean language and literature department of Dongguk University and obtained a doctor of literature degree from Sejong University. She has taught at several universities including Dongguk University. She made her debut in 1981 through the monthly literature Magazine ‘Simunhak’. She writes poetry and literary criticism. She has won Korea Free Literature Prize, Modern Poet Prize, Dongguk Literary Prize, and Korea Literary Critics Association Prize (in criticism). She has published 3 books of poetry including One God, 3 collections of criticism including Metamorphosis of Literature and Dream and Famous Poems Promenade by Lee Hye Seon.

Her early literary trend was based on the sense of history. Rooted in Korea’s traditional emotions and the Buddhist spirit, her poetry demonstrates a strong sense of identity formed by the meeting of temporality and the sense of collective national awareness. Her more recent poetry celebrates cosmic perceptions and an awareness of the transcendental world, undifferentiated sympathy for universal existences including close neighbors, and a world of beautiful rainbows emanating from self-reflections

Koi Law

A koi fish is a type of ornamental fish

When kept in a fish tank,

Grows only 8 centimeters.

But if released into a stream,

It can grow indefinitely—

Just like your dream tree.

***

코이법칙

코이라는 비단잉어는

어항에서 키우면 8센티미터밖에 안 자란다

냇물에 풀어놓으면

무한정 커진다 너의 꿈나무처럼,     

______________  

Read: In the Forest Village – Poetry from Korea

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