Geum-Hee Yang
Born in 1967 in Jeju, Korea, Yang Geum-Hee published three books – two collections of poetry: ‘Happiness Account’, ‘Ieodo, Island of Legend and Existence’, and one collection of essay ‘Happy Companion. She was the first president of the Ieodo Literature Association, the editor in chief of the Jejuin News. She worked as a research fellow of the Society of Ieodo Research. She served as a researcher at Jeju Sea Grand Center at Jeju National University and a special professor at Jeju International University. Currently, she is editorial writer of New Jeju Ilbo, special researcher at the Institute of Social Sciences of Jeju National University, vice-president of the Jeju Regional Committee of the Korean PEN center, Executive of the Jeju Institute for the Korean Unification and Executive of the Korean Association of Ethics. She won 4 Literary Awards.
The Wind Blowing from Ieodo
A lot winds in Jeju Island,
Wind blow form Ieodo
I noticed it on Ieodo Marine Nuri Ship
Soothing Jeju women’s resentment
The Ieodo wind blows
I felt facing it with the whole body
On Marine Nuri Ship
Dedicated to marine science base.
The April wind in the year of Muja
Blew from the field of history,
The grief of falling camellia flowers
Had been overcome by love and solidarity.
Even with blowing winds
And tempestuous waves,
Dreaming of Ieodo
Our ancestors changed the island
Covered with stones, the wind, and the women’s longing
Into the beautiful, covetable island
Iron pillars supporting the base of the Marine Science
Are like thick forearms of Jeju fishermen
Who had sailed toward Ieodo,
Its towering superstructure looks like a lotus flower.
Ieodo is a gateway to the Pacific
Nothing to pass by but the ocean is calling us.
The Wind blowing from Ieodo
Shakes the leaves at the foot of Halla Mountain.
Saying go to the Pacific, go to the ocean,
Rule the sea beyond Ieodo
Then prosperity and abundance would come.
***
이어도에서 부는 바람
제주도의 많은 바람
이어도에서 불어온다는 걸
이어도 해양누리호에서 느꼈네
제주여인의 한을 달랜 이어도 바람
해양과학기지 전용선 해양누리호에서
온 몸으로 맞서보네
역사의 벌판에서 불어 온
무자년 사월의 바람
떨어지는 동백 꽃의 슬픔도
사랑과 결속으로 이겨내었네
바람이 불어도
세찬 파도가 일렁거려도 이어도를 꿈꾸며
돌과 바람과 여인들의 그리움이 맺힌 땅을
선조들은 탐나는 고운 섬으로 가꾸었네
이어도를 항해했던
제주해민의 굵은 팔뚝처럼
해양과학기지를 받치는 철 기둥
우뚝 솟은 상부구조물은 연꽃처럼 피었네
이어도는 태평양의 관문
거칠 것 없는 대양이 우리를 부르네
이어도에서 불어온 바람
한라산 기슭의 나뭇잎을 흔드네
태평양으로 대양으로 가라고
이어도를 넘어 바다를 지배하면
번영과 풍요가 온다고
***
Jagunaepogu
My morning walk to Suwolbong
Accompanies the sound of the waves.
A dayflower at dawn wet in dew,
Blooming shyly as if fell in love with the sea,
In the salty smell of the sea
It would not fold its longing
Along with the nice people
Who have fragrance in their hearts
At the night inlet of
The shiny water scales,
I understand
Like the rust flowing from
The corner of the ship,
Some of my fault should have bruised
Something in someone’s chest.
To beautiful people
Who want to tie and be at anchor
I, turning around, establish the anchor of longing.
***
자구내 포구
수월봉으로의 아침 산택은
파도소리 동행한다
새벽이슬 함초롬한 달개비꽃
바다를 연모하듯 수줍게 피어
소금기 배인 바닷내음에
그리움을 접지 않겠다
마음의 향기
좋은 사람들과
물비늘로 반짝이는
밤의 포구에서
배 한 귀퉁이
흘러내린 녹물처럼
내 안의 허물도
누군가의 가슴을
멍들게 했음을 헤아려본다
정박의 끈을 매고 싶은
아름다운 사람들에게
그리움의 닻을 돌려 세운다
***
Ieodo of Mothers
Jeju Sea never sleeps
It’s yearning
Look there far away raising your head
You may see Ieodo
Eternal Ieodo
That has become a star
In the hearts of mothers
Island!
Island!
Island!
Drenched in nostalgia
Sinking into the water!
In the sea 149km away from Mara islet
Women divers working under water,
Red sunset
Its eye may be stabbed by their Bichang,
Echoes of mothers
Longing for the island,
Ie,o,do!
Ie,o,do!
Nostalgia of lip-biting mothers
Towards the island
Ieodo Sanaa!
Ieodo Sanaa!
***
어머니의 이어도
그리움이 잠들지 않는
제주바다
고개 들어 바라보면
저 멀리 이어도가 있다
어머니들의
가슴 속의 별이 된
영원하 이어도
섬!
섬!
섬!
그리움에 젖어
물속에 가라앉았는가!
마라도에서 149키로
해녀가 물질하는 바다
비창에 찔렸나
눈시울 붉어지는 저녁놀
그리운 섬에 닿고 싶은
어머니들의 메아리
이,어,도!
이,어,도!
이,어,도!
입술 깨무는
이어도를 향한 그리움
이어도 사나!
이어도 사나!
***
Life Watched on Beach
The sea cannot nurture,
Mountains cannot nurture
What would not grow on ridges,
But undersea valleys bring forth.
A temple at the mountain’s foot,
From its backyard, birds take flight,
To achieve self-discipline without words,
To soar like a bird, the monk continues to renounce.
Old pine trees bear witness,
To the majestic lines of life.
The red sun complains,
That life is crossing the world’s weariness
And sinks halfway beneath the reddening horizon.
The sublime cycle of life,
Joys and pains.
Where we are staying in the present
And somewhere else will be in the future.
***
해변에서 바라본 인생
바다에서 못 키우는 것
산이 기를 수 있듯,
산등성이에서 자라지 않는 것
해저에서 자라네
산기슭 산사
뒤뜰에서 새들이 날아오르고
묵언수행 스님은
새처럼 날기 위해 버리고 또 버리네
생명의 숭고한 순환
기쁨과 고통
우리는 어디에
머물다가 흘러가고 있을까
___________
