배암 나오라

풍곡(豊谷) 성재휴(成在烋) 화백의

회고전 개막식장엘 갔더니

70평생의 대표작을 모은지라

호암갤러리 1.2층이 빼곡했다.

그와 함께 전시장을 돌면서

내가 한마디 없을 수 없어

"이거 정말 임자 궁리로 다 그린 건가?"

하고 덕담(德談)을 했더니

"더러 남의 것 베낀 것도 있고!"

라는 그다운 응수다.

또 가다가 이번에 둘이는

'배암 나오라!' 라는

그림 앞에 섰다.

쟁반만한 둥근 달밤

넙적바위만한 개구리 한 마리가

엉덩이를 깔고 뒷다리는 내뻗고 앉아

남산만한 배를 불룩 내놓고는

왼쪽 앞다리를 내뻗친 발바닥에다

가득찬 큰 컵 술잔을 올려 놓고는

왕방울 눈에 입을 찢어지게 벌리고

도연(陶然)해 있는 진기한 정경......

"이거야 임자 자화상이로군!"

"음, 자네가 이 도저한 경지를 알까"

"그야 정도(正道)에는 아둔하지만 주도(酒道)사!"

둘이는 마주 보고 껄껄대다

"임자, 요새 술 하나?"

"작별했어! 자네는?"

"나도 못해!"

서로가 서글퍼져서 입을 다물었다.

Come out, snake!

I went to the opening of a retrospective
exhibition of paintings by the great master
Pung-gok (Song Chae-hyu);
bringing together the major works of his
lifetime's career  --  seventy years  --
it filled both floors of the Hoam Gallery.

Strolling round the gallery with him
I said, just to have something to say,
'Are all these really painted from your own inspiration?'
and congratulated him;
'Sometimes I copied other people's things,'
was his riposte.

We moved on a bit then stopped
together in front of a painting
entitled "Come out, snake!"

Beneath an evening moon as big as a tray
a frog as big as a rock is sitting
squat on his behind, his back legs spread out,
a bulging stomach as big as Namsan hill;
on the palm of his left paw extended before him
he is holding high a big glass brimming with liquor;
with eyes big as saucers, his mouth gaping fit to split,
a strange and touching sight, all flushed with drink...

'Aha, your self-portrait, my dear!'
'Hmm. Do you possibly know this admirable condition?'
'Well, I'm no good at the way of righteousness,
but when it comes to the way of drinking...'
 
 

We looked at one another and guffawed loudly
'Do you still drink, old friend?'
'I've said good-bye to all that! What about you?'
'Me too; doctor's orders!'
We each fell into a melancholy silence.
 

Note: The picture in question is reproduced above.