Three Poets of Modern Korea

by Hahm Dong-seon, Sang Yi, Choi Young-mi, et al.

As noted in the introduction, in contemporary Korea, "poems are found on mountain boulders, on caf walls, on placemats, T-shirts, and television game shows." And though Americans may know something of Korea's modern history of tumult--division and repression--little of the country's rich and varied poetry has been available to the English-speaking public.

In Three Poets of Modern Korea, American poet James Kimbrell, and his wife,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 188933071X
• ISBN13: 9781889330716
• Release Date: July 2002
• Publisher: Sarabande Books
• Length: 72 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.4" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A Delightful Contrast

This collection compares and contrasts the poetry of three Korean poets, Yi Sang, Hahm Dong-seon and Choi Young-mi. Yi Sang was trained as an architect and his verses are somewhat short, providing the framework for his greater message. He died young, but his work stretches from humorous anecdotes to scientific word equations. One can only wonder what such an individual might have accomplished had he lived longer. By contrast, Hahm Dong-seon was exiled from his home in what became North Korea and went on to chair the Korean Modern Poets Association. His poems find beauty in the sublime and much to cherish in life's simplicity. His sweet words hold universal appeal. Poet Choi Young-mi writes with unusual frankness, but the visions her words engender are strangely familiar. Her poems are as sharp as a rapier and as soft as a peacock's delicate feather. Who better to conclude this collection than a mistress of such marvelous contrasts? This poetry collection contains not only contrasting verse, but also the balance so prevalent in Oriental culture. The messages behind these poems will linger far beyond the turning of the final page.