“For I heard that northern sky is clear, without rain gear I have left,
yet snow falls on mountain peaks, and frigid rain soaks the fields.
For this day have I met freezing rain, along with coldness I shall bed.”

"Oh my brother, did you expect me to fail to recognize the ancient story of Imje from the distant land of Joseon? Alas my brother, you will find no lady as fair as Hanwu(寒雨) among my household; I ask you to be contented with silken blankets and a cup of warmed rice wine."

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Last sunday, I went to the nearby city of el Jadida to buy groceries. For it seemed that it was clear in the northern sky, I headed out without taking umbrella. Alas, it started to rain heavily when I arrived there, and I returned home soaked in rain. I guess thats what made me draw this.

the author of the qouted poem(or rather, my poor attempt at translating it into English) is Imje(林悌, 임제, 1549-1587), a mid-Joseon dynasty bureaucrat and poet. While his poems were highly regarded by his contemporaries, his character and actions were not, for he refused to be restrained by Confucian morals and modesty. He was famous(or more precisely, infamous) for the incident of abandoning a day of his work as the governor of Pyeongan province in order to visit Hanwu, a famed courtesan who resided near the city of Pyeongyang, despite heavy rain. The incident of presenting a poem and performing honoring rites to the grave of Hwangjini(黃眞伊, 황진이, 1506?-1567?), another renowned courtesan, while on his way to his new post of the military governor of western provinces also contributed to his infamy. He was dismissed from his office in both incidents, and in later case, he was dismissed even before he could finish his travel to his office.