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The
poet claims that the world reflected by
literature should not be the world of prosperity.
Rather, it should be the world of misfortunes,
illnesses, derelictions, and slowness. He
believes that literature exists to alleviate
such deficiencies of the world. According
to Mr. Ahn, such a role is the fate of writers.
He sends a note of warning to the people
who take lightly things that are not trivial.
Mr. Ahn, whose nickname is Briquette
Poet, believes that a writer should impress
readers with good works and influence their
lives because literature is also a method
of communication. That's probably why many
people are consoled and impressed by the
poet's writings.
Like
the dialogue between the green river and
the salmon, the poet says that people shine
the brightest when they become a backdrop
for others. If we hesitate to become a backdrop
for others, would stars shine as they do
and would flowers be as beautiful as they
are? Neighbors could be as close as relatives
because we have become a backdrop for our
neighbors. Understanding and helping neighbors
couldn't be the exception even in the context
of the community of nations. Once, there
were other nations that stood behind us,
and we, Koreans, could stand up on our feet
due to their help. Now, Korea is standing
behind other nations to supply their needs.
The poet emphasizes in his works that the
idea of becoming a backdrop for others should
be pervasive.
A
poet should erase boundaries that separate
people and try to become one with others.
He talks about altruistic relationships
with others whereby "I become you."
In order to become a warm briquette,
a good backdrop, or a river that catches
snowflakes, one has to set aside extreme
selfishness and adhere to altruistic ideals.
That way, the world could become one without
national borders, races, or boundaries.
The world without boundaries means that
peoples of the world could live side by
side. Mr. Ahn says that if everyone adheres
to such an ideal, no one would be an island,
but everyone would be linked closely with
everyone else. Wouldn't such relationships
be enough to eradicate wars, famines, poverty,
and disasters?
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