The News of Flowers

Ko Un's reading tonight was amazing. He is so incredible. I thought I'd share a few more of his poems, relating to flowers and a few pictures of some lovely spring photos I took yesterday around the house and today at Smith. 

Pumpkin Flower

For thirty-three years as a poet

I merrily defined what beauty was.

Each time, without hesitation

I would declare: beauty is like this, or:

this is a betrayal of beauty.

I went crazy over several different kinds

of aesthetic theory.

But beauty was never

in those aesthetic theories.

I was falling asleep

with the light on.

What fear in the days gone by!

From now on I will strictly refrain

from any definitions of beauty!

Define away!

Define away!

As if beauty can ever be defined!

All through the weeks of summer rain

no flowers bloomed on the pumpkin creepers.

Now the rains are over

and at long long last a flower has bloomed,

inside it a bee is quivering,

outside it I am quivering.

Pumpkin flower brimming full of life:

you are true beauty!

The News of Flowers

Spring. Everything’s liberated.

The news of flowers

eases the poverty of this world.

Throughout this fractured country

(some say it’s a pity,

others not so)

spring has come full force.

An azalea blooming at Cheju Island

in the very south,

after a few days

begins blossoming

across the sea

in Southern Cheolla

& Southern Kyeongsang.

A few days later

& it reaches the shore of the Han, mid-country,

& all along the Soyang River.

About a month later

around Hyesan

on the upper reaches of the Yalu, North Korea: blossoms.

At the end of May

about 2700 meters up

by a cold spring at the treeline

azaleas bloom in many colors.

This is enough.

One cannot wish for more.

Where could things be better than among the flowers of a spring day?

So with South & North: gradually, evenly.