Nearly All Happiness (K-Poet 27) | London Korean Links

Author: Lee Soyoun
Translated by: Sunnie Chae
Publisher: Asia Publishers, 2022
Original title: 거의 모든 기쁨, 2022
Link to online store *

Holding hands, we walk along Banghak Stream. Wherever he points, I find a poem. On some days, taking the form of ducks; on others, taking after white-naped cranes. Black koi swirl the clear water like brush strokes, and therein lies another poem. A poem rippling. Scattering. Startling tiny minnows. Fleeing from grey herons.
From“ Poet’s Essay”

Soyoun loves her family, loves her friends, loves her readers, loves this Earth, loves the sunroot, and loves poems. Everyone loves. But when Soyoun loves, she does her utmost to shower affection, letting others feel it. Endlessly replenished, her love seems to grow the more it is shared. It fascinates me. What if she shares more affection than she can handle? What if others take it for granted, demanding even more as if it were their due? Upon observation, I learn that those showered by affection cherish her in return, looking out for her.
Kim Eunji (Poet)

Source: Aladin

* Where the book is available from a number of sources, they are prioritised as follows: (1) Amazon UK site, or Bookshop.org for the more recent uploads (2) Amazon US site (3) Other sites in US or Europe, including second-hand outlets (4) LTI Korea, where the title is advertised as available from there (5) Onlines stores in Korea. Links to Bookshop.org and Amazon UK site contain an affiliate code which, should you make a purchase, gives a small commission to LKL at no additional cost to you.