Choi Seung-Ho (born 1954) is identified as a Korean eco-poet.
1. Life
Choi Seung-Ho was born in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. While studying at Chuncheon National University of Education, he became friends with Lee Oisoo, the writer, who praised his poems. In 1977 Choi made his literary debut publishing the poems `Vivaldi` (비발디 Vivaldi), `Neup` (늪 Swamp), and `Gyeoulsaebyeok` (겨울새벽 Winter Morning) in Hyeondae Sihak. From 1977 to 1982, Choi taught elementary school. According to the poet, `They sent me to Jeongseon, but it was such a scenic place that I spent too much time drinking instead of writing poems. So I asked the head teacher to send me to a coal mining town...When I got there, I was shocked to see that the water in the river was black...There was nowhere for the children to play....The newts come down from the Taebaek Mountains to lay their eggs in the river, and their eggs would rot in the polluted water...that was the shock that pushed me to write `Daeseoljuuibo` (대설주의보 Heavy Snow Alert).` [1] The poem won the 1982 Minusmsa Today`s Writer Award, establishing Choi`s reputation as a poet. Now a professor of poetry writing at Soongsil University, Choi has also collaborated with musicians and cartoon artists on poetry for children, such as Choi Seung-Ho Bang Si-hyuk ui mallori dongyojip (최승호 방시혁의 말놀이 동요집 Choi Seung-Ho and Bang Si-hyuk`s Poems to Sing), Choi Seung-Ho Muzie ui raep dongyojip (최승호 뮤지의 랩 동요집 Choi Seung-Ho and Muzie`s Rap Songs), Chitaneun jjajangmyeoneul baedalhanda (치타는 짜장면을 배달한다 Cheetah Delivers Jjajangmyeon), and Eollungmarui saengjon beopchik (얼룩말의 생존 법칙 Zebra`s Survival Rules).
2. Writing
Choi`s work focuses on the environment and modern society`s impact on it, in particular, the crisis brought on by rapid industrialization and the consequent vulgarization of human life in a capitalistic society. Choi uses images of “waste”—basements, drains, and toilets filled with waste material and the rank smell emanating from them to symbolize the corruption dominating the urban landscape. Despite such offensive images, the tone of his poetry remains thoughtful and meditative and the poet never descends to vulgar word play. He looks upon the corrupt world with the metaphysical awareness of a Buddhist monk. Although Choi has stated that he seeks to merge “The Way of Poetry” and “the Way of Truth,” he does not identify poetry as the truth itself, but rather as a process of reaching the truth. From the critique of urban vulgarity and secular desires, Choi`s poetry has evolved to a philosophical exploration of the origin of all creation. In the following prose poem he applies his powers of close observation to suggest compassionate contemplation as a remedy: The sun shines overhead, but the lanky sunflower has fallen low to the ground. If the sunflower had two arms, however short, maybe it would not lie collapsed as it does as if to bury its face into the earth. The face of the sunflower lying on its side: Buddha himself assumed such a posture when he entered nirvana. Nirvana on the road. Death on the road, where we are from and where we return in the end. But the sunflower insists on a life in one spot, and lives as if to bury its face under its roots, with its back against the long, summer sun. [2]
Reference
[1] Interview, Book DB. Sept. 2, 2016. http://news.bookdb.co.kr/bdb/Interview.do?_method=InterviewDetail&sc.mreviewNo=72561 [2] Wŏn-jung Kim, James Han, Flowers in the Toilet Bowl: Selected Poems of Choi Seungho, Paramus NJ 2004, p.70
