from Christopher’s River
서울대교와 원효대교 사이
모래를 파서 군데군데
산더미처럼 쌓아 놓고
둑을 만들어 막아 놓고
갈라놓고, 가둬 놓은
한강,
강도 아니요
호수도 아니요
연못도 아니요
논도 아닌 한강,
그 둑 빗물 웅덩이에서
목을 축이고 난 비둘기 한 마리
물끄러미 그 강을 바라보다가
곁에 다가선 나를 쳐다보고는
‘사람들의 하는 짓은 알 수 없다’는 듯
고개를 갸우뚱거리기에
나도 고개를 끄덕이면서
함께 그 한강을 바라본다.
Translations of this Poem
from Christopher's River
Between Seoul Bridge and Wonhyo Bridge
dredged-up sand has been piled
in mountain-like mounds,
making embankments that enclose,
cut off, shut in
the River Han,
neither a river,
nor a lake,
nor a pond,
nor a rice field,
the River Han.
A pigeon quenches its thirst
in a pool of rain-water on one such mound,
gazes intently out at the river,
then glances at me where I stand nearby, as if to say:
“What on earth do these humans think they are doing?”
it cocks its head from side to side
and I too nod
as together we gaze at the River Han.
About this poem
This poem, representing the Republic of Korea (South Korea), is part of The Written World – our collaboration with BBC radio to broadcast a poem from every single nation competing in London 2012.
