Korean Short Stories
Moon Taejun Ond Day 그맘때에는 Translated by Min Eungyeong
Information This work was previously published in New Writing from Korea . Please contact the LTI Korea Library. library@klti.or.kr
About Moon Taejun Moon's poems employ a comforting language to soothe the wounds of the soul. His poems seek to assuage the pains of those suffering from the violence and oppression of a heartless society. He values "conversation" highly, emphasizing full empathy between two existences, such as when he says, "That over there, is in me here; and I here, am in that over there. Let me respect that which is not me, and therefore those things that are me." The poet aspires to a state in which the subject and object are not distinct form one another, but fused together. In this respect, Moon carries on the traditional lyrical tradition. Newly emerging poets too often look askance at the old lyricism, seeking instead new language suited to the tastes of the present age; but the result is often an idiosyncratic poetry that is difficult for the reader to understand. Moon’s poetry tacitly challenges this trend, and embodies hope for easy communication with the world through language steeped in lyricism. His poetry employs familiar subjects from the natural world such as flowers, trees, falling leaves and paths, and people from everyday life such as wife, child, and sufferer. But in the familiarity emerges the unique individuality of the poet, bringing to our awareness the fact that the familiar is not “old.” His work has been translated in The Growth of a Shadow detail, and the The American Reader. LTI Korea eLibrary: http://library.klti.or.kr/node/132
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Ond Day The dragonflies have disappeared from the sky My hands are empty Hands that held on to the days Once more, I slowly open my eyes My hands are empty I walked by a stern tombstone How can I, a weakling, fathom the diamond in the Diamond Sutra The day will come Just as the dragonflies have disappeared from the sky The day I will be gently released from this place Where did they go Did they follow the summer thunder Did they follow the summer thunder They landed in noisy droplets on the leaves of grass
Copyright 2008 Literature Translation Institute of Korea
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