고은의 시와 선적(禪的) 감각

Abstract

It is suggestive that Zen is the internal logic to influence Ko-Eun's Poetry in understanding his literature. His Zen is shown at the collections of poems, 『뭐냐(What Is It)』(1991) and 『순간의 꽃(The Flower of the Moment)』(2001). However they have definite difference. The process of spiritual enlightment is embodied at the place such as mountain, port, prison, and South and North in 『뭐냐(What Is It)』, while it is embodied, recognizing the time such as 'a moment or eternity of instant' at 『순간의 꽃(The Flower of the Moment)』. It means that the imagination of 『뭐냐(What Is It)』 is expanding into the historical and realistic place above individual and ordinary one. This causes his Zen to be understood in the level of realism literature above the postmodernism. In comparison, the self-examination about the world is expanded and shown at 『순간의 꽃(The Flower of the Moment)』 in the more invisible or non-perceptual level, as the Zen enlightment is achieved by the time not the place.

Above all Ko-Eun's Zen logic has the perspective about future, It is not too much to say that the worth required now and in the future is human's practical enlightment above individual, as the crisis and every problems we faced can be understood and solved in the global level. The world of his poem is embodied in the unification of poetic sensitivity, Zen intuition or logic of consciousness. It is thought to give the chance of reflection to modern poetry which faced confuse and dissolution and profound insight to human and the world.