A World Blooming Like a Single Flower

Pain, suffering—everything blossoms!

“A poet who refuses all forms of conventionality, revolutionizing the tradition of classical lyric poetry and creating a new rhythm and body for modern poetry” (literary critic Lee Kwang-ho), and “a poet who depicts the value of existence in the form of a radiant festival” (literary critic Kang Gye-sook)—Jeong Hyun-jong, a central figure in the history of Korean poetry. His poetry collection, I Can’t Bear It, has been reissued under the Moonji Poetry Selection R series, marking its 10th anniversary.

While Jeong’s early poetry explored the possibilities of transcending postwar nihilism and traditional lyricism, his poetic world underwent a shift in the 2000s. Moving beyond the conflicts between reality and dreams, he delved into themes of inner communion with life, the wonders of nature, and the ecstasy of existence. I Can’t Bear It, which takes its title from the poem that won the first Midang Literary Award in 2001, stands as a pivotal collection that marks a defining moment in his poetic career.