It’s the road to death that leads to Flower Mountain.
Kang, Soon-Bok, a seasoned poetess from Korea, the Land of Morning Calm, shares her poem
Poetess Ms. Kang Soon-Bok was born in Hahyo-dong, Seogwipo city in 1954. She won the 1978 National Church School Teachers’ Competition’s Best Storytelling Award, the 1993 Jeju New Writer’s Award (The Crab Alone), the 1994 ‘Munyesajo’ Literary Magazine Newcomer Award (Fairy Tale: A Child Walking on All Fours), and the 2024 ‘Munyesajo’ Literary Magazine Newcomer Award (Poetry: Road to Flower Mountain and 3 other poems were selected), etc. She is a member of the Jeju Writers’ Association, Seogwipo Writers’ Association, International Pen Jeju Branch, Jeju Children’s Literature Association, and Christian Literature Association. She is currently a Jeju language instructor affiliated with the Jeju Language Preservation Society. Her works include the following: in 2007 – (Grandfather’s War Story) – Excellence Award from the Arts Council of Korea, ((kkikkoekkolkkangkkeunkkum) – the 3rd Seogwipo Literary Award, (Dancing Paper Flowers) – won the 1st Jeju Language Literature Award hosted by Seogwipo Newspaper, (Mother That) I hope it doesn’t hurt at the awards ceremony) – The 1st Jeju language essay writing grand prize hosted by the Jeju Language Preservation Society (The Eccentric Teacher and the Little Explorers) – (Subtitle: Bu Jonghyu and the Little Explorers) The first musical performance will be held in 2022, and the second performance will be held in 2023. Representative works include ‘Paper Piano’, ‘The Foolish Captain’, and ‘The Eccentric Teacher and the Kid’. There are 10 books including ‘Exploration Team’ and ‘Dancing White Paper Flowers (Jeju language).
The Road to Flower Mountain
On the straight Aejo Road,
I saw bulls with wet eyes.
A few bulls had sad eyes,
As they boarded the truck.
Some gazed at distant mountains,
While others bowed their heads,
Reflecting on the path ahead.
Some looked up at the sky,
And I saw the tears of bulls.
Do they know
This journey’s length?
It’s the road to death that leads to Flower Mountain.
Do they understand
This path?
It’s the route to their final destiny.
Alas for those honest cows!
I shed tears alongside them,
For I, too, travel the same road,
Following the path they take.
***
꽃산 가는 길
강순복
곧게 뻗은 애조로를
눈이 젖은
몇 마리 황소들이
트럭에 타고 간다
더러는 먼 산을 보고
더러는 머리 숙여
지나온 길을 보고
더러는 하늘을 보면서
나는 보았다 황소의 눈물
그들은 알고 있을까?
이 길이
꽃산 가는 길이라는 걸
그들은 알고 있을까?
이 길이
마지막 숙명으로 가는 길이라는 걸
저 우직한 소들은,
아아! 나도 눈물이 난다
같은 길을 나도 가고 있구나
황소들이 지나간 길을!
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