This Azure Day 

Seo Jung-ju

On this blindingly azure day,

let us long for those we miss.

There, where autumn flowers sit,

green has given in to red.

Let the snow fall.

Let spring return.

What if you are alive when I die?

What if I am alive when you die?

On this blindingly azure day,

let us long for those we miss.

*Translated by Dr. Chae-Pyong (“J.P.”) Song 송재평 교수 & Annie Rashid

Korean Poetry in Translation  https://jaypsong.wordpress.com

푸르른 날

서정주

눈이 부시게 푸르른 날은

그리운 사람을 그리워하자.

저기 저기 저, 가을 꽃 자리

초록이 지쳐 단풍 드는데

눈이 내리면 어이하리야

봄이 또 오면 어이하리야

내가 죽고서 네가 산다면!

네가 죽고서 내가 산다면?

눈이 부시게 푸르른 날은

그리운 사람을 그리워 하자.

 서정주(1915~2000)

호는 미당(未堂). 전라북도 고창에서 태어나 1936년 동아일보 신춘문예에 시 ‘벽’이 당선되어 등단했다. 같은 해 김광균·김동리·오장환과 문예지 ‘시인부락’ 창간. 서라벌대와 동국대에서 교수로 지내며 후학을 양성했다. 시집으로 ‘귀촉도’(48) ‘신라초’(61) ‘길마재 신화’(75) ‘국화 옆에서’(99) ‘화사집’(2001) 등이 있다.

Seo Jeong-ju (1915 – 2000) was born in Gochang, Jeollabuk-do. He is considered the founding father of modern Korean poetry. Under the pen name Midang, he published at least 15 collections of poetry. He taught Korean literature at Chosun University, among others. He was also nominated five times for the Nobel Prize in literature. His grandmother’s stories and his interest in Buddhism had a strong influence upon his writing. His works have been translated into a number of languages, including English, French, Spanish and German.