Review of Korean poet Ra Heeduk’s poem ‘To draw a road’

Review of Korean poet Ra Heeduk’s poem ‘Todraw a road’

I request readers to read the poem first from the above link, and then only my review. Thanks.

The abstract poem’s two metaphors we see every day. A tree and a road lead us to the abstract theme of the poem. The poet depicts an artist painting a road. A nature lover she finds a road will be incomplete without a tree and vice versa. She wonders whether the artist brought the road below the tree for painting its shadow on the road. Figuratively she makes out the road and trees are like wall and floor. I infer here she means continuous trees like in an avenue. The expression ‘The green shadow was hurled on to the road’ indicates the relief the shadow brings to the road user makes it green. Why should the shadow be hurled on to the road? Her keen observation is the reason. A shadow is not a ‘round the clock’ happening. The Sunlight and the Sun’s traverse from east to west decide the size and the direction in which the shadow will fall.  So there is something that keeps resizing and pushing the shadow. The expression the’ axe of time cut down the trees on the road’ reminds us that unlike roads trees are destroyed fully. ‘The axe of time’ figuratively means generation of after generation we have continued to destroy nature. The poet’s grip over the genre is very evident, when she moves on to focus only on the road, after recording her anguish on felling of trees. This power of visualization and its smooth transition from once scene to another reflects her mastery of the genre. Now the journey by road symbolizes life and also a never ending quest. That’s why a horizon has to be drawn first to draw a road. She wants to get there one step at a time. She is sure she will never lose track of the quest that is too far away like the horizon but every step of hers is a move forward.

Simple metaphors and figurative expressions are straight and not complex. Still this poem is layered and the tone is genuine and pulsating a quest and abundant love for nature. That’s the secret behind its success.