I used to drop by a honky tonk after calling it a day. A few drinks always provided me with some comfort and relaxation as compensation for a hard day at work.
I would find a mirror looking into the clear liquor that reminded me what I have been.
It reflected my entire life voyage. Life in my teens was, in a word, an eventful journey.
I didn't have enough to eat or places to hit the hay and life was just about surviving on the other side of the tracks.
Nevertheless, many warm helping hands were waiting for a small boy.
Whenever I came across those who gave me the warm hands, I always appreciated my parents. I deeply thanked my parents that I was born with no handicaps and for the kind compliments about being such a good boy that I would hear from so many wherever I went.
I kept feeling an irresistible yearning for a particular love given to me by my parents who were enamored with their youngest son, until I started living alone away from home at 14 years old.
In my childhood, I had entirely no idea whether my parents were poor or old compared with other folks around as I could always seek mother's breast and my father's arm to pillow my head on when they were around.
I used to lie down between mom and dad on a straw mat. When my parents were looking up to the sky, I too was appreciating all kinds of marvelous masterpieces drawn over the entire twinkling panorama.
It was my unforgetful sense of happiness that I was so blessed to receive as the youngest son.
I still remember that my parents were not well to do and were down-on-their-luck.
Nonetheless, I am endlessly grateful to them for their keen affection that finally resulted in making me what I am now. With a most humble prenatal training and moral character, my parents, I believe had hopefully given birth to me as their youngest child who later would be loved and favored by many of the neighbors around. I am especially grateful for the fact that my parents were not rich.
I wanted to enter the Korea Military Academy as the cadets were known as the symbol of a tall and nice build. At my very first challenge I had to drink a bitter cup due to my inferior height and weight.
Nevertheless, I had no notion of blaming my parents for such inferior physical conditions.
The minute I confirmed my failure, I was compelled to think of my mother's warm breast. While I keenly missed mother's warmth, I found she had started demonstrating a sort of mighty power.
Mother enabled me to meet two brass officers, a colonel and a major. Had it not been for their assistance, I would have not been admitted to KMA at last. I really enjoyed being a cadet of the Korea Military Academy.
I was particularly encouraged by the fact that my education had been dramatically upgraded from self-study to a point where I could obtain knowledge from renowned professors.
Above all, I loved to read books as much as I could. Korea Military Academy allowed me to enjoy the full benefit of learning. It was a heavenly blessing to me.
The dream I had while studying at KMA was not the usual one just wishing be a 4-star general in the future. The dream I had attained through my reading was not one people would normally wish for.
Living freely as a man of gusto was my dream. Enjoying life like a hidden spring and a shyly bloomed bellflower as an artless art by cherishing from day to day and creating life. "Romantic grace!"
"Romantic grace!" is a life style I have long pursued.Neither have I been to a dancing floor nor social dance party. in this case I might be asked what "romantic grace" does mean.
In my old days, when countless stars were twinkling and falling stars were leaving silvery curves in the sky, my father used to tell me of legend that goes " Bums enjoy wearing silk clothes in the day time while classical scholars wear them at night."
"Romantic grace" does not exist in the day time and moreover not on the fancy stage at night but exists like spring water spurting from a hidden spring and a shyly bloomed bellflower in the shade.
In drinking, I am lonely and there is a loneliness about a poem that reflects my life, beautiful faces of those I like and the tranquility I seek. In that space at least, I need not be concerned with patriotism, commies and enemies I might have to encounter in day to day life.
Written by : Dr. Man-won Jee
Translated by: Jae-sung Chung (English lanuage webmaster of www.rokfv.com)
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