Translated by Chae-Pyong Song and Anne Rashid

The Fisherman by Kim Jong-sam

The small fishing boat
tied to the seaside
sways everyday.
Sometimes it is turned over by a storm.
It awaits a bright day
so it can paddle out afar,
become the man in Hemingway’s The Old Man and The Sea,
and murmur:

“The miracle of having lived so far
becomes the miracle to live on;
there is much pleasure if you keep on living.”

어부/김종삼

바닷가에 매어둔
작은 고깃배
날마다 출렁거린다
풍랑에 뒤집힐 때도 있다
화사한 날을 기다리고 있다
머얼리 노를 저어 나가서
헤밍웨이의 바다와 노인이 되어서
중얼거리려고

살아온 기적이 살아갈 기적이 된다고
사노라면
많은 기쁨이 있다고

Kim Jong-sam (1921-1984) was born in Eunryul, Hwanghaedo, North Korea. He was known for short poems that use gaps and breaks. His poetry collections include The Poets’ School, The Drummer Boy, Someone Asked Me, and Live with a Loud Voice and Shout.