Translated by Chae-Pyong Song and Anne Rashid

Painted by Kim Seon-soo

Bucket of Water by Kim Jong-sam

The organ music in the distance
is breaking up.

What have you done?

To that question, I respond:
I have searched for nothing other than humans
and carried a few buckets of water to them.

At the heart of the distant wilderness,
below the shallow sky
the bright sun shines,
except on the earth.

물 통/김종삼

희미한
풍금 소리가 툭 툭 끊어지고
있었다

그 동안 무엇을 하였느냐는 물음에 대해

다름 아닌 인간을 찾아다니며
물 몇 통 길어다 준 일밖에 없다고

머나먼 광야의 한복판 얕은
하늘 밑으로
영롱한 날빛으로
하여금 따우에선

시선집 『북 치는 소년』, 민음사

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.

Translated by Chae-Pyong Song and Anne Rashid

The Suwannee River and The Jordan River by Kim Jong-sam

That year tons of snow fell. A young boy
was living in the thatched-roof cottage.
He had heard that somewhere
are the Suwannee River and the Jordan River.
Lots of snow fell and accumulated.
When the wind rustled and he got bored,
he only longed for a distant village,
and a man walked past him
beyond the mounds of snow like in a picture.

스와니강이랑 요단강이랑/김종삼

그 해에 눈이 많이 나리었다. 나이 어린
소년은 초가집에서 살고 있었다.
스와니강이랑 요단강이랑 어드메 있다는
이야길 들은 적이 있었다.
눈이 많이 나려 쌓이었다.
바람이 일면 심심하여지면 먼 고장만을
생각하게 되었던 눈더미 눈더미 앞으로
한 사람이 그림처럼 앞질러 갔다.

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.