Lines drawn from Mary Oliver poem 'The Last Days'; display runs through August at Gwanghwamun, Gangnam and Jeju
"The bright leaves, tightly curled, are whispering: Now!"
Kyobo Life said Sunday it has refreshed its Gwanghwamun signboard with a summer edition. The new text is drawn from "The Last Days," a poem by American poet Mary Oliver. The lines vividly capture the moment young leaves unfurl, carrying an encouraging message — that just as a small leaf must summon fierce effort and courage to emerge, people too can flourish when they trust their own potential and dare to take bold steps forward.
Oliver began writing poetry at 14 and went on to become one of America's most revered literary figures, winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 for her collection "American Primitive" and the National Book Award in 1992 for "New and Selected Poems."
"We wanted to capture the spirit of a green leaf breaking through its hard shell — encouraging citizens to believe in themselves and move forward with confidence," a Kyobo Life official said. "We hope this summer becomes a vibrant season for everyone to begin a new challenge from within."
The summer edition of the Gwanghwamun signboard — which has delivered messages of hope and love to the public for 36 years since 1991 — will be on display through the end of August at three locations: the Kyobo Life Building in Gwanghwamun, Kyobo Tower in Gangnam and the company's Jeju office.
psj@heraldcorp.com
