WINTER
A Happy, Healthy New Year !
In the morning of tiger year 2022, I watch many blue birds flying between branches of trees in the backyard, while squirrels climbing up and down along the branches of maple trees. With 50 degree F, as mild as early spring, Tiger year seems like giving us a hope, rooting out all the pandemic virus that already killed more than 32 million people in the world and 850,000 Americans only in US. Wishing the voracious tiger would swallow up all the evil virus for peace on the globe.
All mountains are again covered with snow, the rains glazed the snow, and clothed the trees with ice. The shrill sound between pine trees echoed as snow falls from the wounded trees, in twinkling drops.
The time is wild solitudes, yet beautiful as wild with the sound of Symphony # 5, C sharp minor of Gustav Mahler, and with the Symphony No.9, “From the New World” of Dvorak. My spirit beats unsteadily with strange fluttering and expectation of coming Spring.
Chants of birds, swiftly tiptoeing on the frozen snow of squirrels in the backyard, and the chime of brooks, soft caress of the fresh sylvan air broke my peace.
When I stood in Nature’s loneliness, I was with phantom of love, who never had a frown for me.
Through the wildered fancy dreams of sprouting fountains frozen as they rose.
Winter boasts splendors beyond what gorgeous summer knows; Or autumn, with his many fruits, and woods all flushed with hues.
Shopping on Christmas and a new year eve at the Woodbury Premium Outlet usually invites thousands of shoppers around the world, regardless of cold winter winds. However this year due to COVID 19 and slower economy parking lots are not filled with shoppers. I will be receiving Jong Hwan at the mall, who came from Oxford University to meet me at the request of Oxford University honorary professor Miryung Chung this morning and we hope to talk about global issues with him in the central Valley,upstate, NY. I wish the tiger year(Imin nyun) could destroy all the roots of COVID pandemic virus. For me the winter winds remind me of my bitter winter in Chicago in 1969 when I was at the Northwestern University for an international fellowship program, working with Merchandise Mart Plaza downtown in Chicago.
Winter was a phantom of hatred that made me walk on barefoot in my childhood in Hyangjeong Dong, Choam, Hwaseong, Western part of South Korea.
Winter here in Catskill a phantom of opera, like an angel in comparison.
Hubert Hojae Lee, Ph.d
A member of Presidential Advisory Board of RNC.
In the region of Catskill Mountain,
January 1, 2022.