65산 사랑방

From Buckeye(사진 첨부 : 관리자)

2003-04-14 06:48:46, Hit : 10517

작성자 : Roe, Sang-joe

Dear friends, how are you?
There have been lots of challenges in Korea and the World during the
last couple of months. Here, from Buckeye, I am ringing the bell
that I am alive. I cannot write Hangeul in this computer system,
please excuse Konglish.

Buckeye is the nickname of marronnier tree, named because
marronnier's fruit resembles the Buck (a kind of goat)'s eye. In
Ohio, there are lots of marronniers, and they call Ohio State
University (OSU) or OSU people, ‘Buckeye’.

The marronnier tree reminds of a scene of the famous movie - gone
with the wind; and also reminds of 65san ladies' mourns of grieves
and wonders when we went Mt. Myungsung.  Buckeye trees here are about
5-story-building tall, one and a half armful trunk each, balanced
spread branches, very delicate up to the slim ends.  Naked winter
marronniers, with the snow flowers in the arms, are far more
beautiful than those in any printing arts, deserve the nickname
of  'Queen of the trees'  even in the winter.

Before dawn, stars are dotted in the dim and dark sky;
fields are covered with white snow.
A buckeye is standing on her armful trunk:
with numerous arms and fan-ribbed fingers;
wearing the sheer bride-dress;
shimmering from the borrowed street-lamp lights;
hiding the past memories -
shinning joy and following longing,
cradle warmth and oncoming regret;
waiting for the spring shine that will heal the heart.

But basically, this is plain land with no hills within the sight
reach, and the city, Columbus, is behind the fashion. The winter was
biting cold and heavily snowy: it snowed almost every night until the
mid of  March. Life was simple, tedious, inconvenient, unease, and
stuck to the barracks apartment with temporary house holdings (so
called dorm furniture); and paying the transient stranger prices in
every process and living. Yes, last winter was not an easy one.

We went to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas in late March. We saw these
master pieces of God and human which are competing side by side. I
think many of you had been there. We took the course from Poenix to
Grand canyon and Las Vegas, which Koreans seldom take (they used to
take course from LA to Las Vegas and Canyon).  We drove across about
2000 km of 2200-meter-height wild plateau, hours and hours through
the strange planet:  cactus desert, rock mountains of various colors
- red, deep yellow, black, dark gray, white and etc., chasms,
clusters of huge tomb-like rocks, rock-walls and Indian shelters.

There were many canyons, though not more grand than the Grand
Canyon.  Santosa, I think it is an oasis in plateau desert, was like
a village in the fairy tales. At the entrance, huge rocks, look like
wizards' castles, are guarding the village like devil post (jang
seung); resort motels look like elf-houses and decorated with
lights; an oasis stream, the pure snow water, spreads and flows
through pine trees. The canyon (Gion Canyon) lake was another beauty.
The lakeshore is covered with white sand; and the contrast of emerald
blue lake and white stone-hill-wall of yonder!

The Grand Canyon, mountains down to the earth, is more than huge and
awe-inspiring. And the orchestra of lights and shadows! Played by the
rocks, desert, and colorful rock walls; conducted by the sun. We used
to see the sky for sun rise and sun set, but here, we look down the
land: the harmony of changing colors and shades; the gold and the red
touch the land; sunbeams burst and splash onto the rocks.

We stayed 3 nights in canyon area and 1 night in Las Vegas, sorry
that the snow storm overwhelmed during staying in the Grand Canyon,
but can see the sun at times.

There is no hierarchical ladder but only difference in the beauties
of masterpieces with the purity and spirit. But what is the real
purity and spirit? Las Vegas is clustered with world's most luxurious
hotels; the famous architects and artists moved the street of Paris,
sculptures of Rome, a pyramid and even a volcano to this neon gamble
town. But we feel purity in the dancers' selfless performance that is
spiritualized with the soul of the beginning. The human body-the
creature of God as well as a small universe itself- is challenging to
the God's work, canyon.

Back to Buckeye, it seems that yet too early to talk about full
spring, it alternates winter and spring. People cannot take off the
winter coats yet. But one day, all of a sudden, woke up to find that
spring touched lawn under the snow with green. Marronnier of early
spring is not so much beautiful as expected, early bloomers beat her.
Like just-hatched swan, she is hiding passions and splendors of her
season. But once the time come, we will hear the mourns of wonder and
admiration again.

This was my last winter. Dear boys and girls, forever young. sjr.

SJ Roe

Sorry for wrong spells, 'dessert' in the photos should be 'desert', my fault, I will change when computer is available (It is graphic, cannot change in the sarangbang), really sorry. sjr.

2003-04-15
06:44:45