I could see myself. I was
happy and excited and
full of life.
Sometimes, the groundskeeper
trimmed my branches. It was
painful but it helped so that I
could grow up quickly!
When I turned seventeen ... "
Published in Korea in 2016, this story, narrated by a gingko tree, honors the passage of time and the changes that come with it.
The tree begins by explaining that it was ten years old when it was planted on its present site. In that year, on the ground floor, it could see and hear the lovely sounds coming from a piano studio where young students were learning to play. Its growth continues on past each floor, always watching that floor's tenants go about their daily lives. It gets an occasional pruning from the groundskeeper to help it grow.
Floor by floor, the tree is witness to the lives of the people who live in the apartments whose windows are closest to its many branches. It feels the joy and pain felt by the tenants. When it reaches the top floor where no one lives, it is lonely and isolated from any familiar sights. For some years its life is very different than in previous years. Finally, as its branches rise above the rooftop, it can 'hear the greetings' from other trees. Ahhh! A family of its own, and a lovely end to this contemplative tale.
The artwork is spare and moody, in keeping with the lives it shares and the tree's experiences. The deep blues and nighttime darkness of the years spent alone give over to warm yellows and abundant growth when the tree finally finds its own family.
No comments:
Post a Comment