Kim Sowol’s real name was Kim Jeong-sik (김정식 金廷湜). He became a pupil of Kim Eok (김억 金憶), pen-named Anso, who remained for the rest of his life not only his mentor but one who truly understood the growth and abrupt termination of his poetic genius. His grandfather taught him classical Chinese and entered him in the famed Osan Middle School (also the alma mater of Baek Seok and Kim Eok at the age of fifteen. This fact although tragic must have affected the poet's early life and eventually led to his own premature death. Shortly after he was born his father became insane. Kim Sowol was born on Aug(on lunar calendar date) in Kwaksan, North Pyong'an Province, Korean Empire and died on December 24, 1934. The most prized example of this style was "Azaleas (진달래꽃)", the title poem of his sole collection of poetry.
Throughout his life he wrote his beautifully poignant poetry in a style reminiscent of traditional Korean folk songs and consequently became known as a 'Folk Song Poet'. He is most famous for his contributions to early modern Korean poetry. McCann, an expert on modern Korean poetry, maintains the immediacy and richness of Sowol's work and shares with English-language readers the quiet beauty of a poet who continues to cast a powerful spell on generations of Korean readers. An essay by Sowol's mentor, the poet Kim Ok, concludes the collection and provides vital insight into Sowol's work and life. Although considered a landmark of Korean literature, Azaleas speaks to readers from all cultures. Told through an array of voices, the poems describe the young man's actions as he leaves home, his experiences as a student and writer in Seoul, and his return north. Sowol is also known for his unique and sometimes unsettling perspective, expressed through loneliness, longing, and a creative use of dream imagery-a reflection of Sowol's engagement with French Symbolist poetry.Īzaleas recounts the journey of a young Korean as he travels from the northern P'yongyang area near to the cosmopolitan capital of Seoul. His work is a delightful and sophisticated blend of the images, tonalities, and rhythms of traditional Korean folk songs with surprisingly modern forms and themes. Published in 1925, Azaleas is the only collection Kim Sowol (1902-1934) produced during his brief life, yet he remains one of Korea's most beloved and well-known poets. Available for the first time in English, Azaleas is a captivating collection of poems by a master of the early Korean modernist style.
0 kommentar(er)
