Life and Biology stories with Sooyoung and Others
ironic living toward death, continue learning visible and invisible big big world around and inside us. Share your stories and poems here!!!
written by Cha, Kang Seok, Oct21 2024
translated and Edited by Grace Moon
I do not know anything
I do not see anything
A light like a thread
I see it about 10 meters away
through the gap
the letters came in like jewels
I absorbed the letters
The letters also melted me
I prove my existence
with the letters I wrote.
존재 증명
10/21, 2024, 차강석
아무것도 모르겠다
어느 것도 보이지 않는다
실 같은 빛이
10여 미터 앞에서 보인다
그 틈으로
보석처럼 글자들이 들어왔다
나는 글자들을 흡수했고
글자들도 나를 녹여냈다
글자들을 흡수한 나는
글자들로 존재증명을 하고 있다
차 강석 | Cha, Kang Seok
백일무렵 뇌성마비
중입 검정고시 합격, 1998년, 5월
고입 검저고시 합격, 1998년, 8월
대입 검정고시 합격, 1999년, 8월
경희 사이버대학 미디어 문예창작과, NGO학과 복수전공 졸업, 2005년, 2월
제20회 대한민국 장애인 문학상 (시 부분) 최우수상 수상, 2010년
한국방송통신대 국어국문과 졸업, 2013년, 2월
보안대체의학소통 (Augmentative and Alternative Communication)을 활용한 언어 뇌병변 장애인 인권 강사과정 수료 및 교육상담사 자격 2급 취득, 2015년 11월
세계사이버대학, 사회복지과 졸업, 2017년 2월
사회복지사자격 2급 취득 , 2017년 4월
직장 내 장애인 인식개선 강사 자격 취득, 2018년 11월
가천대 특수치료대학원 언어치료학과 졸업, 2024년 8월
Cha, Kang Seok | 차 강석
▫️ Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 100 days old
▫️ May 1998: Passed the Middle School Equivalency Examination
▫️ August 1998: Passed the High School Equivalency Examination
▫️ August 1999: Passed the College Entrance Qualification Examination
▫️ February 2005: Graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Media Creative Writing and NGO Studies, Kyung Hee Cyber University
▫️ 2010: Grand Prize, Poetry Category, 20th Korea Disabled Literature Award
▫️ February 2013: Graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Korean Language and Literature, Korea National Open University
▫️ November 2015: Completed training in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for individuals with language impairments due to brain injury; Certified Counselor (Level 2)
▫️ April 2017: Graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Welfare and certified as a Social Worker (Level 2), World Cyber University
▫️ November 2018: Certified Instructor for Workplace Disability Awareness Improvement
▫️ August 2024: Graduated with a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology, Graduate School of Occupational Therapy, Gachon University
Written by Cha, Kang Seok, English-Translated and Edited by Grace Moon
Autumn rain falls harshly
Harsher than August’s scorching sun
My mom is in this autumn rain
A warm place in my mother’s memory
where she lived for over 50 years
Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu has disappeared
The happy memories before marriage
Gimje, wonpyeong remain, but
only the memory of newborn baby might remain last in her
After this rain falls
there is a forecast of a severe winter
colder then any other winter
가을비가 가혹하게 내린다
8월의 땡볕보다 더 가혹하다
어머니는 이 가을비를 맞고 계신다
어머니의 기억에서
50여 년을 오손도손 사신
서대문구 연희동이 사라졌다
그리고 결혼 전의 기억인
행복한 김제 원평이 남았지만
마지막인 갓난아기만 남을지도 모른다
이 비가 오고 나면
그 어떤 겨울보다 추운
혹독한 겨울이 온다는 예보가 있었다
The book 원점 was recently published in South Korea and has been translated into English. Currently, Korean book and English version, e-book of “원점 / Returning to Origins” are available. Some poems are here, but some others you could find there.
Most poems in section 1 was written immediately after my third near-death experience, and the poems in section 2 was written originally for my first daughter Jina when she was three years old. Now I have another daguther, Grace, and I hope to share with my and other duaghters. Life is not easy at all. Maybe harder to most girls than boys. I hope that these poems give some peace and cheerup.
Ebook is available at Amazon, and Korean book is available at INDIEPUB
Soon, paper book will be availble at Amazon.
The journey of life starts at an origin.
Both long and short journeys start from origins and return to the origin.
At the age of half-century, I stand again at my starting point, look back on my past origins ahead of another journey, and leave a trace for daughters.
Section 1. Before the mountains (27 poems)
Origin
Library room
Woo (B)
A castle in the dark
The words of my body
Grandmama Jojo
Let’s get drunk on life
Scent
White paper
Fair
Sunset
Adult kids
Longing
Sad love
First love
Gate of the memory
Parting
Tao
Path
A tree at the end of the path
Give and receive
Skeins of thread
Death and life
Great lie
Near-death experience
Fairytale
Similar near-death experience
Section 2. In the mountains (41 poems)
The season of beginning
To everyone, including me
Riddles
Ins and Outs
Be careful
Mom and dad
Tree
Black
Courage
Take care of yourself
Permit
Life
Death
Leave a small part behind
A big world and big heart
Balance
Understanding
Black shadows
The norm
Right and wrong
Prayer of Gratitude
Two sides of a coin
Homework
Together
Companion
Accompanying
Within you
Books
Friends
Careful
Naked
Happiness within you
Travel
Growth
Unfolding
Key to happiness
New attempts
A piece of paper
Living is
To my daughters
A mother’s wish
자기 자신의 원칙을 버려서는 안 되요
그렇다고 그대 자신의 원칙을 남에게 강요해서도 안 되요
서로 존종하세요
적당히 서로가 서로의 것을 주고 받아요
원칙도 조금은 변해요.
You must not abandon your own principles.
However, you should not force your own principles on others.
Respect each other
Give and receive what belongs to each other in moderation.
The principles also change a little.
1996 쓰여진 11번째 시, a castle in the dark
11th poem written by Sooyoung Kim, 1996
저기 저기
어…저기..저 시커먼 곳은 어딜까
악..소름 끼쳐
온통 어둠 뿐이네
아..저기 저기 성이 보여
아둠 속에 성이 있어
저 새는 무얼까
저 새들은 왜 저렇게
눈을 뜨자 그 성은 없어져 버렸네.
손을 대자 그 성은 흩어져 버렸어.
난
그 성을 찾아
헤맸네
하지만 찾을 수 없었어
이 곳엔
어둠이라고는 눈곱만큼도 없었거든
난 그 어둠이 궁금했어
너무도 궁금했지
내가 모르는 그 곳이
너무도 궁금해서
견딜 수 없었어
난 그곳이 어디있는지
그 곳이 어디 있는지
찾아 헤맸지
하지만
난 눈을 떴고
이제야
난 알게 되었네
내가 그 곳에
내 한 다리를
디디고 서 있음을
Over there
uh…there… where is that black sight?
Oh…it’s creepy
There’s only darkness
Ah… I see a castle over there.
There is a castle in the dark
What are those birds?
Why are those birds like that?
When I opened my eyes, the castle was gone.
As soon as I touched it, the castle fell apart.
I wandered to
find that castle
I wandered
But I couldn’t find it.
In this place
There wasn’t even the slightest hint of darkness.
I was curious about that darkness
I was so curious
That place I don’t know
I’m so curious
I couldn’t bear it
I don’t know where it is
Where is that place
I searched for it
but
I opened my eyes
Now
I found out
I’m standing
my one leg on the darkness
다른 이를
이해 할 수 있다 해도
이해라는 말 속에서
옳고 그름을 버려서는 안 되요
하지만 옳고 그름은 동전 양면일지도 몰라요
삶은 모두 허용할지 몰라요
Two sides of a coin
Someone else who you can understand
In the word of understanding
You must not abandon right and wrong.
However, right and wrong seem be two sides of the same coin
Life will allow it both, maybe
Life and Biology stories with Sooyoung and Others 