All the Daughters of the Earth: Sijo Poems

The first-ever dual-language collection of sijo poems by Kim Ilyeon in Korean and English

Reflections that are incomparably old and new, Korean and universal

Since the beginning of her writing career in 1980, Kim Ilyeon has published collections of sijo poetry every two to four years, for over four decades thus cementing herself as one of the most pivotal figures working in the genre. All the Daughters of the Earth, her first dual-language poetry collection featuring her original Korean sijo alongside their English translations, devotes its first section to verses about Kim’s parents and her daughter who lives overseas. This emphasis on universal human sentiments of familial love is an attempt to connect with readers in other countries. As in her past collections, Kim uses a delicate and warm tone to offer her own unique interpretations of objects and life. While her work stays true to the traditional sijo framework, the 66 poems in this collection are also presented in free and contemporary ways.

• Ilyeon Kim, Author

  Ilyeon Kim was born in 1955 in Daegu, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea.
  
  
  After graduating from the College of Education at Kyungpook National University, she worked as a middle school teacher and later as a reporter for Maeil Shinmun, a daily newspaper based in Daegu.
  
  
  Having published poems from the age of 15, Kim became a sijo (a form of Korean traditional poetry) poet after being introduced in the journal, Sijo munhak (Sijo Literature), in 1980.

• Brother Anthony, Translator

  Brother Anthony of Taizé, who also goes by his Korean name An Sonjae, is a literature scholar and translator and is professor emeritus of English language and literature at Sogang University in Seoul.