NOTES
(1) It seems to be implied here that because everyone is too preoccupied and busy with their own concerns, they don’t notice him, so he can slow down a little, try breath a little easier.
(2) 그림자 is very often translated as shadow, but it also figuratively means “sadness”. As RM enjoys using figurative language, I assume that he enjoys both meanings of this word, but chose to use sadness as I found that a clearer translation for the sentence in English.
(3) The Korean word for “heels” here also has a figurative meaning of “the lowest level of one’s ability or mind”. As RM is such a poet, I would not be surprised if he meant this line literally and figuratively.
(4) The use of “arduous” is an attempt at conveying the interesting adjective that RM paired with the word “body”. 고되다 has no corresponding word in English, but seems to convey the meanings of difficult, hard, trying, tough, or arduous. The pairing of 고된with 몸 seems be an atypical pairing, as the adjective seems to paired most often with the word for work. So translating it also creates an interesting figurative meaning. I take this to mean that RM feels that even existing in his body, living in it—living as a human—is difficult, hard, trying, etc. As well as with his own internal existential dilemmas and loneliness, it seems, maybe that RM is exhausted by living this thing called life and wonders if there is anyone who could accept him even with all of these complexities.
파란 나비 Blue Butterfly 