Spring rain · Squirrel · Toad · Between · Cicada · True flower · Mountain · Baby bird · Are you in my heart · In the sandbox · Moon · Mother bird · Our house · Postman · Our mother · Bambi · Green apartment · Broom · Flowers blooming on the mountain · Drawing of the ground · One day · Hospital room · Flower garden · Mother · Wood pigeon

Preface | Why Did Kwon Jeong-saeng Write? - Sang-hak Ahn
Excavation Commentary | "The Mountain Pigeon" Guided by the Poem "Cicada" by Lee Ki-young

A collection of poems and illustrations created by the young Kwon Jeong-saeng himself.
After half a century, it appears before our eyes.

In 1972, the young Kwon Jeong-saeng compiled a collection of poems with simple poetry and simple drawings.
He made only two copies, kept one for himself, and gave the other to Pastor Osoon.
The book he owned has gone missing, and another copy that Pastor Osowun had kept has finally surfaced after half a century.
『Mountain Pigeon』 contains the entirety of Kwon Jeong-saeng's youth.
Born in Japan in 1937, Kwon Jeong-saeng returned to Korea after liberation and began suffering from tuberculosis while working as a store clerk in Busan in the summer of 1955.
Kwon Jeong-saeng had been battling illness for several years, but his health recovered thanks to his mother's tearful efforts.
However, the mother who had been taking such good care of Kwon Jeong-saeng fell ill and passed away not long after.
Kwon Jeong-saeng is so shocked and sad that tuberculosis spreads almost all over his body.
Although he barely survived after repeated surgeries, his mother's death left a deep scar on Kwon Jeong-saeng's body and mind.
The wound was completely captured in the poem.

Mother is sick / lying down // When I was sick / Mother would put her head on // Mother / Should I put my head on too? // Mother smiles / and looks at me // She spreads her hands like this / and gently places them // Closes her eyes tightly / and sleeps // I close my eyes too / and pray.
―Full text from "Mother"

I think Mother Star has passed away // The rain is pouring down / and it's falling like raindrops.
// Seven baby stars / I think they're crying // The white flower bier / is leaving // Countless stars / have all turned off their lights // Quietly, quietly / I think they're crying // Pouring pour pour / The night rain is falling.
―Bambi expert

There are a total of 25 poems included in 『Mountain Pigeon』.
Kwon Jeong-saeng expressed his extreme sorrow for his mother through poetry, to the extent that there are a total of nine poems on the subject of his mother.
In addition, it contains works that clearly reveal the inner self of the young Kwon Jeong-saeng, such as poems about God, nature, and humanity.
Nearly half a century later, the publication of the poetry collection "Mountain Pigeon" will not only be helpful to those studying Kwon Jeong-saeng, but will also enrich his literary world and our children's literature.

“This book is my first collection of works, of which there are only two in the world.
“I wrote the poem myself and made a shape with a few sheets of colored paper.”

A simultaneous experience of a refreshing yet light taste

『Mountain Pigeon』, which Kwon Jeong-saeng himself calls his first collection of poems, is a collection of poems that is both novel and charming.
By showing the essence of simple and clean simultaneous poetry, it makes us feel high class and true heart towards children.

I caught a cicada // When I looked inside, I saw its black eyes, just like Seok-a // The cicada that climbed the persimmon tree and sang // is also looking at me / with a face just like Seok-a // From somewhere far away / Seok-a will miss me / just like me.
―Cicada expert

The mountain / is not cold even in winter // and together / holding hands // even without mother // grows green / green / tall.
―Specializing in "Mountains"

From the time he began his literary career in 1974 until his death in 2007, Kwon Jeong-saeng wrote in a variety of genres.
She left behind countless fairy tales, including “Sister Mongsil” and “Dog Poop,” and wrote a children’s novel that dealt with the tragedy of the Korean War.
He also left behind prose containing his life and thoughts.
At the forefront of this long series of activities is a poem filled with deep affection for children.

Let's sit in the front yard / and draw // Dol-i and / let's draw // Actually / Dol-i might be taller // Actually / Dol-i might have bigger fists // Since I draw / as I please // Dol-i small / I'll draw big // Next to me, the big one / Little Dol-i / stands as if scared / It feels bad // Little Dol-i erases the drawing / again // Let's draw the same / as me // We're the same height / and have the same hands // We're standing together / together / nicely.
―Expert on "Territory Drawing"

The poems of Kwon Jeong-saeng, which can be said to be the origin of his literature, are simple and pure, as if they foreshadow his life.
I hope that both children and adults who encounter "The Mountain Pigeon" will be able to sense the fragrance contained in Kwon Jeong-saeng's life and literature.

A collection of poems that clearly reflect Kwon Jeong-saeng's touch.

When Kwon Jeong-saeng personally compiled 『Mountain Pigeon』 into a book, he wrote the poems with a marker pen and decorated the cover and text using colored paper.
After half a century, 『Mountain Pigeon』 was officially published and presented to the world. We tried to preserve the touch of Kwon Jeong-saeng, not only on the cover but also in the illustrations in the text.
Looking at the neatly arranged poetry collection that is close to the original, it seems to represent the dignified life of Kwon Jeong-saeng.

At the end of 『The Mountain Pigeon』, there are two meaningful articles.
Poet Sanghak Ahn, who was close to Kwon Jeong-saeng during his lifetime and worked to commemorate him for a long time after his death as the director of the Kwon Jeong-saeng Children's Cultural Foundation, examines the significance of Kwon Jeong-saeng's poetry collection, which is being published to the world after half a century.
Lee Ki-young, a children's literature researcher active in the 'Tolbae Children's Literature Society', which borrows the name of the main character in a fairy tale written by Kwon Jeong-saeng, has published an explanatory report explaining how the book 'Mountain Pigeon', which had been kept by Pastor Oh So-woon, came to be officially published.

As poet Sanghak Ahn speculated in his preface, I hope that the publication of the poetry collection 『Mountain Pigeon』, which will likely be Kwon Jeong-saeng's last unpublished work, will lead to more active research on his literature, and that his life and literature will spread with a deeper fragrance to both children and adults.