[KS] Help with poetry translation

[Benjamin Joinau]

Dear Kevin,

 

I guess it won’t help much, but here is the translation of that poem in French by Son Mi-hae who published Yi Sang complete poetic works in France (Zulma Publishing). I worked on that translation as an editor-corrector and this is my suggested correction, not the published version - this is why I allow myself to present it to you. 

Yours,

 

Benjamin

 


Intérieur


 

 

Goût de sel dans la bouche. Une trace d’encre a dû infiltrer en secret mes veines. Ma peau froissée que j’ai enlevée par pénitence redevient feuille blanche et sur le sillage du pinceau se forment des gouttes de sang. Les courants qui s’échappent en foule des traces d’encre ne sont que rassemblement de sons divers qu’on ne saurait distinguer. Sombre est la préface qui remplit ma bouche fermée. Et l’impuissance en méditation ne peut plus faire comme si : incapable d’exposer les faits pour être jugée, la voilà qui tombe en amour. Le rite répandu qui a perdu forme n’est plus que sacrilège et c’est comme si je le voyais pour toujours se dissoudre dans cette physiologie.

 

 

 

From: Koreanstudies [mailto:koreanstudies-bounces at koreaweb.ws] On Behalf Of kevin parks
Sent: Friday, January 25, 2013 4:18 AM
To: Korean Studies Discussion List
Cc: Kevin Parks
Subject: [KS] Help with poetry translation

 

Greetings,

 

I turn to the list in desperation. I have translated about 10 poems by Yi Sang to use in a current project that is nearing completion. These are added to a handful of poems already translated by others. I am working on what will likely be the last poem I need and I am completely and totally baffled, fittingly, by the very end. The rest is not great either but I have really hit a brick wall. It seems my reach is beyond my grasp. Mixed script, idiosyncratic spellings, poetic coinages, Sino-Japanese, famously cryptic language and meaning make it all very hard to manage for a non-specialist.

 

I wonder, if anyone, out of good will, or for a taste of the glory that comes with being mentioned on program notes for music concerts, would like to help. I am a musician and have been working on this project by myself the whole time and really could use someone's trained eye, to either look over my DIY translation or even just help with this very last one. So far I have translated: Self Portrait (자화상), Lineage (문벌), Remorseful Chapter (회한의 장), The End (최후), June 1, 1933 (一九三三, 六, 一), Morning (아침), Family (가정), Small Garden Sown by a Prisoner (수인이만들은소정원) and a couple others.

 

Family (가정) gave me fits (I am not even sure of how I have rendered the title) but the one I am working on now is the hardest. 내부 (內部), or interior (?). I especially want this poem because of the way he talks about the body, the mouth, and ink marks. Physiology & writing are tropes I am trying to include as part of the project.

 

 

--- Original, mixed script w/ idiosyncratic spellings.

 

內部 (危篤 中)    이상 

 

 

입안에짠맛이돈다. 血管으로淋漓한墨痕이몰려들어왓나보다. 懺悔로벗어노은내구긴皮膚는白紙로도로오고붓지나간자리에피가롱져매쳣다. 尨大한墨痕의奔流는온갓合音이리니分揀할길이업고다므른입안에그득찬序言이캄캄하다. 생각하는無力이이윽고입을뻐겨제치지못하니審判바드려야陳述할길이업고溺愛에잠기면버언저滅形하여버린典故만이罪業이되어이生理속에永遠히氣絶하려나보다.

 

----- Modern, Standard Korean letters

 

입안에짠맛이돈다. 혈관으로임리한묵흔이몰려들어왔나보다. 참회로벗어놓은내구긴피부는백지로도오고붓지나간자리에피가농져맺혔다. 방대한묵흔의분류는온갖합음이리니분간할길이없고다물은입안에그득찬서언이캄캄하다. 생각하는무력이이윽고입을뻐겨젖히지못하니심판받으려야진술할길이없고익애에잠기면버언져멸형하여버린전고만이죄업이되어이생리속에영원히기절하려나보다.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Kevin Parks

 

 

ps. I suppose here is where i show my cards. This is by far the worst and least finished of the bunch but I suppose if i am asking for help I should have the nerve to show what i have so far.

 

 

Interior (from critical condition)

 

In my mouth is the taste of salt. Ink blots have apparently swarmed into my blood vessels. The crumpled skin I shed in penitence has returned as a clean sheet and a spot of blood spreads where the brush passed. The vast torrents of ink marks makes the contents of the fluids indistinguishable and the ink congeals in my mouth to make a preface filled with darkness. Because thought is powerless, ultimately, to pry open the mouth. I am unable to make a statement in order to receive judgement.  [...]

 

 

 

 

 

  _____  

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