이 시를 읽을 때 내 어찌 숙연해 지지 않을 수 있으리!

나는 어릴 때 이런 노동을 하지는 않았지만, 가난한 우리나라에서 농부의 고역과 노동자의 노고를 많이도 보았다. 또 어머님으로부터 다음의 얘기도 들었다.

어느 더운 여름날 장작을 패는 사람이 산더미같이 많이 쌓이 장작을 하루종일 혼자서 패고 있었다. 아마 그는 굶었던 모양이다. 지나가던 참외장사로부터 참외 몇개를 사서 하나씩 먹으며 끝없이 장작을 패다가 결국 일을 끝내지 못하고 쓰러져서 사람들이 몰려와 보니 이미 죽은 시체였다…얼마나 불쌍하고 슬픈 일이었는가?

우리나라에서 30년 살다가 미국에 와보니 이 풍요로운 나라에서 모든 게 믿을 수없었다. 그렇게 살기를 반세기가 넘었다. 그러나 나의 근본을 생각하고 항상 검소하고 겸손해야겠다. 

No question about it, KwanHo!

How could we forget what we had before?

I still remember two children belonging to 강원도 화전민 with pot belly probably due to the malnutrition, eating dried 호박껍질, I enountered on way down from 대성산  to 삼척 after winter mountain climbing- organized by 대한산악회 with the sponsoring by 조선일보 - when I was the first year/grade of 경기 high school soon after the Korean War is over! I was so shocked to their poverty, to shame as a Seoulian, and it was so deeply embedded to my brain, and never allow myself to throw away any food crossing me, wondering how many Koreans would recall!!!!

BB Lee

P.S. As a matter of fact, I was told that my mother's father, grandfather of 시인 조지훈  had such notorious reputation to go around the village,영양 주실 마을, to check the sewer- 수채 구멍- from the kitchen randomly and whenever he should find any single grain of rice to be thrown away, he apparently raised hell to give a shame openly so that whole housewives of 마을shuddered with the fear to let any grain washed out accidentally. 

Yes, this poem is another "Five character verse, 五言絶句 (오언절구)", like the last one, 金谷園(금곡원) with its characteristic of presenting only one issue strongly appealing. 

Some time in the future, I would like to bring a few Seven character verse,七言絶句 (칠언절구) for your comparison. 

America has been shaken with Covid-19 pandemic and even worse, non-concession by Trump. 

We haven't seen any human beong like this one. 

He has to be a born vile individual with a serious mental illness. 

I feel this man must be thrown out of the White House legally, sent to the court for criminal investigation as soon as possible.

Nevertheless, let's have some time of relief out of this outside confusion.

I sish you a good Thanksgiving for your family.

Kwan Ho