Eight poignant lines, penned by Yoon Dong-ju, one of Korea's most beloved poets, in November 1941, may be one of the most famous in all of Korean poetry: Until I breathe my last breath I wish to face my sky without shame. Even the wind blowing on leaves Has left me restless. With a heart singing hymns to the stars I shall love all that must die; And I shall walk diligently Upon the path assigned to me.
Tonight again, the stars are blown by the wind The untitled poem, widely recognized as "Prologue," appears first in his posthumous collection “Sky, Wind, Stars and Poems.” Reflecting Yoon's struggles and profound hopes for Korea's independence from Japanese rule, the poems transcend the individual, encapsulating the universal human condition through nature's beauty. His complete works, comprising 112 verses and four prose pieces, are available in English, translated by Lee Sung-il, emeritus professor of English Literature at Yonsei University.
Three of the verses, including the famous piece "Counting the Stars at Night," were translated by Lee’s late father, Lee In-soo, who was also an English professor and editor at the Seoul Times, an English newspaper. Born in 1917, Yoon's short life was marked by his poignant sensibilities and his unwavering hope for Korea’s independence. He is recognized as one of the most conscientious intellectuals of the Japanese colonial period.
"Close reading of his poetry reveals that his poetic consciousness was heavily charged with the thou.