The Sun

Pak Tujin (1916-1998)

Rise, the sun. Rise, the sun. Rise, the fair sun in your face washed clean. Beyond the mountains, flame and wolf the darkness all night. The fair sun, in your burning, youthful face, rise.

I loathe the moonlit night. I loathe the moonlit night. I loathe the moonlit night in a tearful ravine, I loathe the moonlit night in a desolate garden…

The sun, fair sun, if you come, if you come forth, I shall fancy a verdant mountain. I shall fancy a verdant mountain that flutters its wings. If a verdant mountain is here, I shall be pleased even in isolation.

Following a deer, following a deer, to a sunny spot, to a sunny spot, following a deer. If I meet a deer, I frolic with the deer,

Following a tiger, following a tiger, if I meet a tiger, I frolic with the tiger…

Rise, the sun. Rise, the sun. Even if it is not in my dreams I meet you, I shall call flowers and birds and beasts to the same place. With all of them sitting together, I shall enjoy a youthful, beautiful day.

1949
(Translated by Jido Ahn. Feb 2016)

Learn more about the poet: Pak Tu-jin (1916-1998)

Park Dujin is one of the most prolific and renowned poets in all of modern Korean literature. As illustrated in his first collection of poetry, The Blue Deer Anthology (Cheongnokjip, 1946), which he co-authored with Park Mokwol and Cho Jihun, Park’s poetry most often takes nature as its subject. Through verses that sing of green meadows, twittering birds, frolicking deer, and setting suns, the poet is often understood by critics to be presenting his own creative commentary on social and political issues…It is because of this particular significance held by the natural symbols in Park’s poetry that the lyrical quality of his poems is set apart from the romantic, pastoral lyricism of many other representative Korean poets. The role of the natural world in Park Dujin’s poetry is that of a catalyst for understanding the world of man, rather than an end in itself.

해

박두진 (1916-1998)

해야 솟아라. 해야 솟아라, 말갛게 씻은 얼굴 고운 해야 솟아라. 산 너머 산 너머서 밤새도록 어둠을 살라 먹고, 이글이글 애띤 얼굴 고운해야 솟아라.

달밤이 싫여, 달밤이 싫여, 눈물 같은 골짜기에 달밤이 싫여, 아무도 없는 뜰에 달밤이 나는 싫여…….

해야, 고운 해야, 늬가 오면, 늬가사 오면, 나는 나는 청산이 좋아라. 훨훨훨 깃을 치는 청산이 좋아라. 청산이 있으면 홀로래도 좋아라.

사슴을 따라, 사슴을 따라, 양지로 양지로 사슴을 따라, 사슴을 만나면 사슴과 놀고,

칡범을 따라 칡범을 따라, 칡범을 만나면 칡범과 놀고……

해야, 고운 해야, 해야 솟아라, 꿈이 아니래도 너를 만나면, 꽃도 새도 짐승도 한자리에 앉아, 워이이 워이이 모두 불러 한자리 앉아, 애띠고 고운 날을 누려 보리라.

1949

This poem appears in the 7th grade Korean textbook.

Photo source: Daejeon Ilbo