“Squarings,” 48 tercet poems divided by 4 chapters under the subtitles of “lighening,” “setting,” “crossing,” and “squarings” are a collection of images matching each title, all derived from the writer’s experiences and recollections. The whole atmosphere of these poems is lyrical as well as transcendental. The tone of the poems is reminiscent of the tincture of pathos. The extension into an abstract and spiritual world proceeded by the objective observation of mundane items is another characteristic of these poems. The poems in “Squarings” are underpinned by modernism philosophy that the present and the past are juxtaposed and that the persona searches for its father. And the liberal and playful persona coupled with the poems of multiple interpretations and poetic language are post-modern features of “Squarings”. The subtitles of “Squarings” suggest some ordering of poet’s experiences or process of the poet’s writing.

• 홍성숙(청주대학교 영어영문학과 교수) | Sung Sook Hong