Here are photos that Sun-Ae and I managed to bring back from our Bonghwasan hunt stalking a wild Emanation.
Seeing the Emanation before it saw us, we quietly sneaked up on it . . .
. . . but it then saw us . . .
. . . and distanced itself . . .
. . . then turned its back to us and flew to another bench.
It then fluttered toward a growth of tall, thick grasses . . .
. . . but approached us carefully, seemingly curious . . .
. . . but soon backed off again toward the thick grass . . .
. . . where it lingered, as if to bolt into the safety of the tall, thick stalks and blades.
Off it then suddenly went again, so we followed till it reached a dry gulch . . .
. . . where it again stopped, and looked around . . .
. . . as if to reflect on the paradox of streambed with no stream.
Baffled at that, then at tree roots above ground . . .
. . . the Emanation opted to fly away, though I nearly succeeded in plucking it from the air!
It managed to escape, however, for my reach exceeded my grasp, and it flew to a nearby tree, where it perched precariously.
Then, spreading its wings, it flew from the tree to a bench . . .
. . . then to another tree . . .
. . . then to yet another tree . . .
and another, where it remained . . .
. . . a while, then left for good . . . or for ill.
After all, who knows what good or ill might be accomplished by a book as complex as an Emanation?
Especially when it's called "Emanations."
Labels: Emanations, Fiction, Imagination, Literature