As the wind rose then fell, plum blossom petals
finally fell like snow.
When the wind changed,
the blossoms would be swept toward the mud wall
sunk in thought with its stones exposed
‘Why is the sound of petals falling so silent?’
The question the Buddha asked when he met petals with his shoulder, Jesus answered:
‘Surely silence too is one of the set of sounds?
Do you want blossoms to weep while falling
or do you want them to laugh noisily while falling?’
‘They may sing as they fall . . . .’
‘In fact, they are singing.’
The Buddha, who had listened without a word, murmured:
‘Hmm, that’s not a refrain!’
HWANG Tong gyu (b. 1938) was born in Seoul, studied and taught English Literature at Seoul National University. His poetry collections include A Clear Day (1961), Snow Falling in Samnam (1975), When I See a Wheel, I Want to Make It Roll (1978), A Journey to Morundae (1991), Wind Burial (1995), A Love Song, Berkeley Style (2000), There Was the Moments When I Depended on Coincidence (2003), Silence of Flowers (2006) and 00:05, Winter Night (2009). He is the recipient of numerous honors, including Korean Literature Award (1980), Isan Literature Prize (1991), and Midang Literature Prize (2002), etc. His poetry, describing new awareness attained in the process of continual opening to the outer world and sincere conversation with the self, has always invited readers to participate in the process of awakening.
