- Dr. KOO MYONG-SOOK
Angela Kosta’s poetry collection PEARL OF LOVE has been newly reborn in Korea as "The Pearl of Love" through the Korean translation of Dr. Kang Byeong-Cheol. I offer my heartfelt joy and congratulations. Thanks to Dr. Kang’s graceful Korean rendition, I too have been able to read with ease the works of the world-renowned poet Angela Kosta.
It is evident that most of Angela Kosta’s poems begin with nature. Images of forests, rivers, winds, and stars do not remain as mere landscapes; rather, they move as existential symbols. The star, for instance, emerges as a lamp that illuminates transcendent hope. Through nature, her poetry explores the fundamental solitude of human beings, as well as solidarity and the reasons for existence.
Her works also unfold the cyclic vitality of life—birth and extinction, life and death. In particular, her language is imbued with a distinctively feminine voice, evoking a gentle yet firm strength of life. She sings of the tearful will to protect life to the very end, even as she embraces human suffering. This is not mere sentimental femininity, but rather a force that affirms existence to the fullest.
Ultimately, her poetry transcends simple sensory description and conveys mystery and spirituality, leading readers to reflect on the fundamental meaning of life. Angela Kosta’s poems do not remain within lyrical impressions; they expand into the spiritual dimension. Through starlight, they console human sorrow; in the flow of the river, they reveal the cycle of life; in the breath of the forest, they evoke time and memory. For the reader, her work is not merely a “reading experience” but an invitation to meditative contemplation. Hence, Kosta’s poetry often resonates as prayer, hymn, or meditation.
In her poem "A Piece of Bread", she sings of survival and sharing. Bread symbolizes the smallest unit of survival and everyday life. Kosta views bread not as mere food, but as the minimum of love and hope that sustains existence. Through the meaning of “a piece of bread,” she celebrates the dignity, sacredness, and transcendence of life revealed in the smallest of things.
When one reads Life, it does not appear as a straight line, but as a “flow” and “cycle.”
Life flows like a river, interweaving light and darkness, hope and despair. Kosta does not regard life solely as suffering, but emphasizes its cycles, lessons, and awakenings.
In "The Apotheosis of Beelzebub", she turns to the critique of desire and evil. Ultimately, her voice embraces human suffering and love, social critique and spiritual reflection, marking her as a true world poet. “Man kneels before the shadow of his own making, and calls upon the name of Beelzebub as if it were God.”
With such striking imagery, she denounces the worship of power and the corruption of desire in modern society. Yet this is not mere religious satire; it can be read as a modern fable urging spiritual awakening and ethical resistance.
Kosta’s language is concise, yet rich in imagery and symbolism, immeasurable in depth and breadth, while always offering the reader a refreshing sense of newness.
- Dr. KOO MYONG-SOOK
Poet, Ph.D. in Philosophy (Bielefeld University, Germany), Visiting Professor at Soka University (Japan), Visiting Professor at Waseda University (Japan)
Currently: Professor Emerita at Sookmyung Women’s University, Executive at the Korean National Literature Museum, President of Seocho Cultural Center
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