Brief Bio on Bong Ja Ahn:
- Bilingual poet and essayist born in Korea.
Writes about her love for nature and varied human sentiments and yearnings. - Has been writing literary columns for the local Korean newspapers and several literary magazines in two languages, Korean and English.
- Winner of the Literary Awards :
World Poetry Lifetime Achievement Award. (2009)
W.I.N. Distinguished Poet and Essayist Award. - (2012Korean Writers Association Oversea Member of the Year Award. (2012)
- World Poetry Ambassador to South Korea since 2008.
- Author of Seven Books including English/Korean Poetry Anthology ‘Poet and the paper boat / 시인과 종이배’ (2013)
Bong Ja Ahn’s Book Launching Ceremony.
Date: August 31, 2013 (Saturday), 1pm ~ 4pm. Address: Kensington Community Centre, 2nd Floor, 5175 Dumfrie St. (E. 37th & Knight St., Kensington Park)Vancouver
Dear Friends and Fellow Poets, It is my utmost pleasure to invite you to my new English/Korean Poetry Anthology II, Poet and the Paper Boat, launching ceremony. Please come and join my special day. I look forward to seeing you all!
Looking for myself
I am looking for my Self
don’t know when and where I lost her.
A small woman is she,
always carrying a big bundle
of yearnings on her head.
And due to her bad eyesight,
easily gets lost both body and soul.
It could be under the stellar river last night
while I was looking up the stars until my neck hurt,
or somewhere at a corner of planet Earth
where life is hectic with everyday chores.
I ill-treated her,
for I didn’t think her of any good use,
nor have I ever thought I would miss her so.
And now, wrong, I feel empty without her.
Together we still have
more journeys to complete
and more songs yet to sing.
Though a fool is she with poor eyesight
and suffering from incurable yearnings,
I am desperately looking for her.
My own Self.
Bong Ja Ahn ©
나를찾습니다.
나를 찾습니다
언제 어디서 잃었는지 모릅니다
작은 몸뚱이에
언제나 이고 다니는
그리움은 가분수이고
몸 눈 마음눈 둘 다 어두워
길을 잘 잃습니다
지난밤 목 아프게 올려다보던
미리내 강어귀 어디쯤서였는지
숨 가쁘게 돌아가는 삶의 세상
지구별 어느 모퉁이에서였는지
있으나 없으나 마찬가지라고 구박했는데
그나마 없으니 이리도 허(虛)한 걸 보면
없는 것보다는 있는 게 훨씬 나은가 봅니다*
아직은
좀 더 동행해야 할 길이 남아서
함께 불러야 할 노래가 남아서
우둔하고 길눈 몹시 어둡고
그리움이라는 골 깊은 불치병까지 앓는
못난 그녀ㅡ
나(我)를 간절히 찾습니다.