Thai Poetry in English: Book of Poems About Thailand
Thai poetry has a rich history dating back to the Sukhothai Kingdom (1238–1438), where early poetic forms like “Lilit” (ลิลิต) and “Chan” (ฉันท์) were first used, and the Ayutthaya period (1351–1767), when Thai poetry flourished with court poets composing works in sophisticated meters, such as “Khlong” (โคลง) and “Kap” (กาพย์).
However, there hasn’t been much in the way of poetry in the English language written about Thailand — whether it be from Thai poets or foreign writers living in the kingdom.
A couple notable exceptions include “In Thailand It is Night,” a book of Thai poetry in English written by the American poet Ira Sukurungruang, who was born in Chicago from Thai immigrants, and Denise Low’s “Thailand Journal,” a book poems inspired by the former Kansas Poet Laureate’s trip to Thailand.
To my knowledge, there is no book of poems about Thailand written by a long-term foreign resident of the kingdom — a writer who has spent many years immersed in the nuances and richness of Thai culture and the Thai language.
As a resident of Thailand for over 20 years, I am currently working on a bi-lingual book of Thai poetry in English (with Thai translations) which attempts to fill in this literary gap. The book is a meditation on life in the Thai countryside, in particular Sakon Nakhon, where I live with my Thai family and teach English at the local university.
“Poems from Sakon Nakhon” shares my insights into the spirituality and culture of Northeast Thailand (Isaan), it’s people who have become my close friends and confidants, and the Thai language itself.
These poems are written with the intent of being highly accessible to all people who have an interest in exploring the culture of Thailand and the life of its residents, as well as Thais who are learning the English language and foreigners learning Thai.
For those who are poetry enthusiasts, I have woven many subtle literary devices into the poems to enhance their resonance, musicality, and rhythm.
Publication: Poems from Sakon Nakhon will be published in February, 2025 by Ysaan Books. It will be available internationally in hardcover and paperpack. A signed collector’s edition will be available in Thailand, which will come with a handmade indigo cloth cover fashioned by local textile artisans.
“Poems from Sakon Nakhon” (Thailand Poetry Sample)
Thai Poem #1
The hot season
is a time of rest,
as the soil turns to sand,
and all that was green
turns brittle and brown,
a time
to drink sato
in a sala by the pond,
listening to mor lam and
the sounds of som tam
being made,
a time
to set the world aside
and let the heart recuperate,
from what’s been lost
and what’s been
gained.
Thai Poem #2
Mae yai
has a weathered beauty,
with skin like fine leather
aged in the sun.
Her old hands read
like a history book
of a simple but storied life,
told by seeds
planted in the earth,
baskets woven
for good purpose,
and children
cradled with care.
She moves slowly,
her every move deliberate,
but when she smiles,
her eyes smile too,
full of love and joyful
innocence.
Thai Poem #3
The first noble truth
of the Buddha
is all life is suffering,
but we live in a world
of no absolutes,
where everything’s entwined
with its opposite:
love and hate,
good and evil,
joy and suffering,
and without its opposite,
the other would wither
and die.
So take up your suffering,
like the stem of a flower,
and let the petals
unfold.
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