Beyond Self: 108 Korean Zen Poems

by Alan Ginsberg, Un Ko, Young-Moo Kim (Translator)

Poetry. Asian Studies. "Ko Un is a magnificent poet, combination of Buddhist cognoscente, passionate politcal libertarian, and naturalist historian. This little book of Son (Zen) poems gives a glimpse of the severe humorous discipline beneath the prolific variety of his forms & subjects. These excellent translations are models useful to inspire American Contemplative poets" -- Allen Ginsberg. "A big mistake! // Much better / to have turned back at the front gate." ("A Temple's Main Hall") "Ko Un's poems live amid the democracy of all being, looking directly and with great pleasure at this very moment's bright-leaping essence" -- Jane Hirshfield."Not an ounce of Zen posturing here!" -- Norman Fischer. Translated from the Korean by Young-Moo Kim and Brother Anthony.

Genres: Poetry

50 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1997

Reviews

[meadow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these poems, I didn't understand. They have lots of references to Korean and/or Buddhist stuff. But even the ones I didn't understand, I still liked. And the other ones made me laugh and felt good. Here is one of them:

The Hermit

Jang Ku-Song the hermit was busy shitting
when he heard frogs croaking. It made him
recite

The Croaking of frogs on moonlit nights in early
spring
pierces the world from end to end, makes us all
one family.

Look, if you've had your shit,
        wipe yourself and get out of here.

[Nicolas Duran]

EDIT: damn it I learned that he fucking sucks… huge L

Ko Un absolutely rips. I think I’ll get several more of his books, so funny and good to read.