Didactic
Puliphana
A Single Blade Of Grass, 2020
Animated gifs with prose
When I used the nickname “Puliphana,” which means “grass leaf,” I was probably very lonely. Actually, grass leaves are everywhere and they live well anywhere. For me, a “grass leaf” is the one living in a large field, not in a small world. I would have wanted to live among such grass leaves. That would be why I used the nickname “Puliphana.”
Audio Description
Korean
English
Transcript
A Single Blade of Grass
Words by Puliphana
Animations by Pete Foley

All kinds of plants like grass, reed, wild flowers and silver grass keep growing. They seem to be breathing.

They grow in spring, summer, fall and winter. When spring comes again, they revive. I want people to know that I’m a strong person like these plants with such great vitality.

Flying in the sky, I see the beauties of nature. I see a thick forest. I see straight and high pine trees with singing birds.

On the green field, I hear a distant sound of mooing cows. Gradually looking closer, I see a farmer in a Korean-style white shirt and pants. He is plowing the fields. Beside him, I see nice and straight furrows. Beyond the small branches nearby, I see a mountain. Along the mountain, the lazy Bukhan River is flowing.

Suddenly, I hear the song “Dream.” The sunshine comes through the cloud to reach the ground. The beautiful sight of nature passes me by. I feel the heartfelt song filled with eagerness. The silver waters of the Bukhan River are moving under the sun. After the farmer plows and sows, the ripe crop makes the fields yellow.

The yellow fields are dancing like waves. Fully ripe ears of rice seem to be bowing down, dancing and saying hello. Above them, a yellow swallowtail is dancing while staying and flying repeatedly.

Yoonseon Lee’s face and the butterfly overlap. Once you go there, you can’t come back. It is so sad to lose you. Butterfly, please boast of your beauty as much as you can. Over there in the sky, I hear Yunsun Lee laughing out loud.

Standing on the fields, I look up to the sky. I smell the earth of the fertile land. The sunshine adds a gold tone to the yellow fields. I see the ripe ears of rice. When could I see the face again? Having become a butterfly, Yoonseon flies away, laughing. On the rich fields, I put my hand on my forehead to keep the sunshine from hiding the sight of the butterfly flying away.

The butterfly doesn’t look back and keeps flying to the heavenly park where flowers are in full blossom. Seeing that, I also laugh out loud. The land is also laughing. Looking far away, I wave my both hands.