나는 하느님을 보았다(생명과문학시선 1)

■ 전문가 서평
자연으로 표현되고 있는 시인의 고향은 「이 세상에서 사라지는 것은 하나도 없다」라든가 「달이뜨면 그대가 그리웠다」라든가 무수한 시편들에서 확대되고 있고 심화되고 있다. 그것은 고향의 작은 곤충들뿐만 아니라 산천초목에 이르기까지 모두 생명을 가진, 따라서 역사를 가진 것으로 인식되면서 그것이 곧 〈사람〉이 된다. 시인은 그러한 고향의 사물올 통해서 사람을 만나고 고향을 만나며 그 고향을 통해서 사람에 대한 사랑에 도달한다. 다시 말하면 사람에 대한 사랑 없이는 고향을 찾을 수 없고 〈하느님〉을 볼 수가 없는 것이다.
한풀이가 사랑에 도달하게 되는 김준태의 시는 그것이 가지고 있는 시적 언어의 특수한 배열과 리듬으로 인해서 그 강력한 생명력을 발휘하는 것처럼 보인다. 대단히 거친 것처럼 보이는 그의 시적 표현들은 언제나 두 개의 강렬한 이미지들이 맞부딪침으로 인해서 끊임없는 불꽃을 튀게 만들고 있고 그렇게 함으로써 우리의 잠든 의식에 충격을 가하고 있는 것이다. 그 충격은 우리 시가의 전통적인 가락 때문에 유장하면서도 깊은 감동을 경험하게 한다. 그리고 그것을 제대로 경험하기 위해서는 그의 장시인 「살풀이」와 「지리산 여자」롤 읽는 것으로도 충분할 것이다. 김준태의 시에 나타나고 있는 서사시적인 요소는 그의 시가 우리의 삶의 고향을 되돌려 주는 강렬한 이미지와 그 이미지를 이끌고 가는 전통적인 리듬으로 요약될 수 있을 것이다. 그가 사용하고 있는 이미지와 리듬은 우리의 삶 속에 있는 것들이 우리 자신의 의식의 자동화때문에 부재화되고 있는 것들을 존재화시키는 것이다.
ㅡ 문학평론가 김치수

김준태 시인은 1980년대 문청들의 대표적 청년 사사였다. 민족의 정서, 민중의 한, 한민족의 역사에 더하여, 전통 운율은 물론 노동요의 애환도 함께 담아내는 한국 현대시의 방향을 제시하는 시인이었기 때문이다. 주지하다시피 1980년 5월 광주의 현장을 사제처럼 신령과 진정으로 토해낸 「아아 광주여! 우리나라의 십자가여」는 이미 한국 현대사의 상징이요, 현대시의 한 축이 되었다. 그랬던 김준태 시인이 1981년 12월 놀라운 시집을 출간하게 된다. 바로 제2시집 『나는 하느님을 보았다』라는 놀랍고 파격적인 시를 발표하고 다시한번 시단과 세상에 충격을 던졌다.
표제시는 시인의 '엑스터시(ecstasy)' 경험을 은유적 표현이 아니라 실체적 경험을 가장 구체적 문장으로 진술되어 당시 평단에서도 놀라움을 금치 못했다. 문학적 기교를 통한 문장이 아니라, 영적 체험과 역사적 체험을 분리하지 않고, 그대로 시로 옮겨진 것이다. 제2시집에 담긴 시들은 그야말로 민중과 함께 민중의 한을 풀어내는 시의 제사장 김준태 시인을 만날 수 있다. 시인은 내재된 하늘과 일체를 노래할 뿐 아니라, 시와 인간, 세계와 생명을 유기적 관계로 풀어낸 문학사적 의미가 큰 시집이다.
초판을 낸 출판사가 사라짐에 따라 사라질 뻔한 역사적 시집을 복간하게 된 것은 참으로 다행이고 기쁜 일이 아닐 수 없다. 시집 『나는 하느님을 보았다』는 제도적 종교의 차원을 넘어 문학적 기교를 초월하는 생명시학의 중요한 단초가 되고 있음을 감히 밝혀둔다.
ㅡ 시인 김윤환(백석대 대학원 기독교문학 교수)

시인의 말
『나는 하느님을 보았다 다시 펴내며』···························4

제1부
콩알 하나·················································16
강언덕 ·····················································17
이 세상에서 사라지는 것은 하나도 없다······· 18
나는 하느님을 보았다································ 21
달이 뜨면 그대가 그리웠다························· 24
밤거리 샹송············································· 25
그대 노래················································· 27
종달새와 손수건도 사람 ···························· 28
기분 좋게 쓴 시 ········································ 29
콩꽃························································31
기분 좋은 시············································ 33
희망과 진실 ············································· 34
자장가···················································· 35
여편네 자랑 ············································· 37
뭐니뭐니해도 사람이 좋아라 ······················ 38
어머니····················································· 39
바다 ······················································· 40
15년 ······················································· 41
사람 노래················································ 42
달 ·························································· 43
종이 한 장···············································44
고향으로 달리는 차 속에서 ························ 45
추억에서··················································46
노래························································48
내 이제 노래를 부르리라 ···························· 49
할아버님 생각·········································· 50
초가草歌
망치 ······················································· 54
넋두리 ···················································· 55
황천가黃泉歌············································· 56
흑야黑夜 ·················································· 57
벌판에 서서 ············································· 58
초가草歌·················································· 59
샛골 이별가 ··············································61
송장헤엄················································· 63

제2부
섬진강 ····················································64
임방울 ···················································· 65
기계 속에서 ·············································66
노래여, 노래여·········································· 68
저녁노을 ················································· 69
농사꾼은 누구와 말하고 사는가················· 70
비행기와 농민 ·········································· 72
자기 몸뚱이를 속이지 않고 아파하는
바람 속에 깨꽃 같은 세월이 피어오른다 ······· 73
강학종 씨················································ 75
삼팔선 앞에서 북한 땅을 바라보는
기법, 그리고 통일을 꿈꾸는 슬픈 색주가 ······ 77
삼팔선에서 ·············································· 78
우리들의 그리운 강변은····························· 79
잠깐 쉬어 가기를 좋아하는
사람을 위하여 부르는 노래 ························ 81
바다라면, 바다여······································ 82

제3부
[장타령] 살풀이
살풀이···················································· 86

제4부
[식물성 장시] 지리산 여자
지리산 여자 ············································100
보리밥
사랑가···················································118
애타는 앞가슴으로 ··································119
보리밥····················································120
감꽃······················································122
호남선 ···················································123
참깨를 털면서 ·········································124

제5부
열 손가락 중에 하나 간혹 피를 흘린다는 일은
얼마나 즐거움인가 ···································125
간지러움················································ 126
비가 ······················································127
눈깔사탕을 밟고 ···································· 128
미끄러진 님아········································· 128
덕배·······················································129
지리산을 넘으며 ······································131
머슴 ······················································132
북한여자················································135
고독한 젊은이는 강하다 ···························136

해설_ 고향의 의미 - 김치수 ·························142
김준태 시인은_ 김윤환·····························156
김준태 연보 ············································158

김준태 1948년 해남 출생. 1969년 전남일보·전남매일 신춘문예 당선. 월간[시인]지에 '머슴' 외 5편으로 한국문단 나옴. [문예중앙]에 중편 '오르페우스는 죽지 않았다'를 선 뵌 이후 액자소설 88편 발표. 시집으로 [참깨를 털면서] [국밥과 희망] [밭詩] [쌍둥이 할아버지의 노래] 등 17권, 영역시집 [Gwangju, Cross of Our Nation](광주여, 우리나라의 십자가여), 일본어시집 ['光州へ行く道'](광주로 가는 길), 독일어시집 [Gesang der Wasserspinnen](물고기의 노래), 산문집으로 [백두산아 훨훨 날아라] [세계 문학의 거장을 만나다] 외 15권. 고교교사. 광주지역 언론사 데스크. 광주 대·조선대 초빙교수, 5·18기념재단이사장(10대) 역임.