Poetry has been featured extensively inThai literature, and constituted the near-exclusive majority of literary works up to the earlyRattanakosin period (early 19th century). Most of imaginative literary works in Thai, before the 19th century, were composed in poetry. Consequently, although many literary works were lost with the sack of Ayutthaya in 1767, Thailand still has a great number of epic poems or long poetic tales[1] -- some with original stories and some with stories drawn from foreign sources. The Siamese poetical medium consists of five main forms, known askhlong,chan,kap,klon andrai; some of these developed indigenously while others were borrowed from other languages. Thai poetry dates to theSukhothai period (13th–14th centuries) and flourished underAyutthaya (14th–18th centuries), during which it developed into its current forms. Though many works were lost to the Burmeseconquest of Ayutthaya in 1767, sponsorship by subsequent kings helped revive the art, with new works created by many great poets, includingSunthorn Phu (1786–1855).Prose writing as a literary form was introduced as a Western import during the reign of KingMongkut (1851–68) and gradually gained popularity, though poetry saw a revival during the reign of KingVajiravudh (1910–25), who authored and sponsored both traditional poetry and the newer literary forms. Poetry's popularity as a mainstream form of literature gradually declined afterwards, although it is still written and read, and is regularly employed ceremonially.
Thai poetic works follow established prosodic forms, known aschanthalak (Thai:ฉันทลักษณ์,pronounced[tɕʰǎntʰalák]). Almost all have rules governing the exactmetre andrhyme structure, i.e. the number of syllables in eachline and which syllable rhymes with which. Certain forms also specify thetone or tone marks of syllables; others have requirements of syllable "heaviness".Alliteration and within-line rhyming are also often employed, but are not required by the rules.
Thekhlong (โคลง,[kʰlōːŋ]) is among the oldest Thai poetic forms. This is reflected in its requirements on the tone markings of certain syllables, which must be marked withmai ek (ไม้เอก,[májèːk],◌่) ormai tho (ไม้โท,[májtʰōː],◌้). This was likely derived from when the Thai language had three tones (as opposed to today's five, a split which occurred during the Ayutthaya period), two of which corresponded directly to the aforementioned marks. It is usually regarded as an advanced and sophisticated poetic form.[2]
Inkhlong, a stanza (bot,บท,[bòt]) has a number of lines (bat,บาท,[bàːt], fromPali andSanskritpāda), depending on the type. Thebat are subdivided into twowak (วรรค,[wák], from Sanskritvarga).[note 1] The firstwak has five syllables, the second has a variable number, also depending on the type, and may be optional. The type ofkhlong is named by the number ofbat in a stanza; it may also be divided into two main types:khlong suphap (โคลงสุภาพ,[kʰlōːŋsù.pʰâːp]) andkhlong dan (โคลงดั้น,[kʰlōːŋdân]). The two differ in the number of syllables in the secondwak of the finalbat and inter-stanza rhyming rules.[2]
Thekhlong si suphap (โคลงสี่สุภาพ,[kʰlōːŋsìːsù.pʰâːp]) is the most common form still currently employed. It has fourbat per stanza (si translates asfour). The firstwak of eachbat has five syllables. The secondwak has two or four syllables in the first and thirdbat, two syllables in the second, and four syllables in the fourth.Mai ek is required for seven syllables andMai tho is required for four, as shown below. "Dead word" syllables are allowed in place of syllables which requiremai ek, and changing the spelling of words to satisfy the criteria is usually acceptable.
The following plan shows the rhyming structure of one stanza. Each letter represents a syllable; A and B (also C, D, E and F in other examples) represent rhyming syllables. Syllables shown by letters in parentheses are optional.
| OOOOO | OA (OO) | |
| OOOOA | OB | |
| OOOOA | OO (OO) | |
| OOOOB | OOOO |
The following plan shows the tone mark requirements; each ◌ represents one syllable.
| ◌◌◌◌่◌้ | ◌◌ (◌◌) | |
| ◌◌่◌◌◌ | ◌่◌้ | |
| ◌◌◌่◌◌ | ◌◌่ (◌◌) | |
| ◌◌่◌◌◌้ | ◌่◌้◌◌ |
เสียงฦๅเสียงเล่าอ้าง อันใด พี่เอย เสียงย่อมยอยศใคร ทั่วหล้า สองเขือพี่หลับใหล ลืมตื่น ฤๅพี่ สองพี่คิดเองอ้า อย่าได้ถามเผือ — Unknown,Lilit Phra Lo (ลิลิตพระลอ), c 15th–16th centuries
Transcriptions:
| siang lue siang lao ang | an dai phi oei | |
| siang yom yo yot khrai | thua la | |
| song khuea phi lap lai | luem tuen rue phi | |
| song phi khit eng a | ya dai tham phuea |
| sǐaŋlɯ̄ːsǐaŋlâwʔâːŋ | ʔāndājpʰîːʔɤ̄ːj | |
| sǐaŋjɔ̂mjɔ̄ːjótkʰrāj | tʰûalâː | |
| sɔ̌ːŋkʰɯ̌apʰîːlàplǎj | lɯ̄ːmtɯ̀ːnrɯ̄ːpʰîː | |
| sɔ̌ːŋpʰîːkʰítʔēːŋʔâː | jàːdâːjtʰǎːmpʰɯ̌a |
Translation:
What tales, what rumours, you ask?
Of whom is this praise being spread throughout the world?
Have you two been asleep, having forgotten to wake up?
You both can think of it yourselves; do not ask me.
Thechan (ฉันท์,[tɕʰǎn] from Palichando), is derived from Pali and Sanskrit metres, and based on theVuttodaya, a Sri Lankan treatise on Pali prosody. It developed during the Ayutthaya period, and became a prominent poetic form, but declined afterwards until it resurfaced in a 1913 revival.[3]
The main feature of thechan is its requirements on the "heaviness" of each syllable. Syllables are classified as either "light" (lahu,ลหุ,[lahù]), those with a short vowel and open ending, or "heavy" (kharu,ครุ,[kʰarú]; See alsoLight and heavy syllables underSanskrit prosody). The Thai metres follow their Pali/Sanskrit origins, with added rhyming schemes. Modern authors have also invented new forms for their compositions. Two traditional forms are shown here.[3]
Theinthrawichian chan (อินทรวิเชียรฉันท์,[īn.tʰrá.wí.tɕʰīːantɕʰǎn], fromIndravajra, a form of Sanskrit poetry and meaningIndra's thunderbolt) has twobat per stanza, with eleven syllables in eachbat, following the pattern HHLHH LLHLHH (H represents heavy and L represents light syllables):
| HHLHH | LLHLHH | |
| HHLHH | LLHLHH |
The rhyming scheme (which is identical to that ofkap yani, see below) is shown here in two stanzas:
| OOOOA | OOAOOB | |
| OOOOB | OOOOOC | |
| OOOOD | OODOOC | |
| OOOOC | OOOOOO |
สายัณห์ตะวันยาม ขณะข้ามทิฆัมพร เข้าภาคนภาตอน ทิศะตกก็รำไร รอนรอนและอ่อนแสง นภะแดงสิแปลงไป เป็นครามอร่ามใส สุภะสดพิสุทธิ์สี — Chit Burathat (1892–1942),Na Hat Sai Chai Thale Haeng Nueng (ณ หาดทรายชายทะเลแห่งหนึ่ง, "At a Seaside Beach")
Transcription:
| sayan tawan yam | khana kham thikhamphon | |
| khao phak napha ton | thisa tok ko ramrai | |
| ron ron lae on saeng | napha daeng si plaeng pai | |
| pen khram aram sai | supha sot phisut si |
| sǎː.jānta.wānjāːm | kʰa.nàʔkʰâːmtʰí.kʰām.pʰɔ̄n | |
| kʰâwpʰâːkná.pʰāːtɔ̄ːn | tʰí.sàʔtòkkɔ̂rām.rāj | |
| rɔ̄ːnrɔ̄ːnlɛ́ʔʔɔ̀ːnsɛ̌ːŋ | ná.pʰáʔdɛ̄ːŋsìʔplɛ̄ːŋpāj | |
| pēnkʰrāːmʔa.ràːmsǎj | sù.pʰáʔsòtpʰí.sùtsǐː |
Translation:
The evening settles as the sun crosses the sky.
As it sets in the west, its light fades.
Its last rays flicker, and the sky turns from red
Into a clear glowing indigo, so bright and pure.
Thewasantadilok chanวสันตดิลกฉันท์,[wá.sǎn.tà.dì.lòktɕʰǎn], from Sanskritvasantatilaka) has fourteen syllables perbat, with the pattern HHLHLLLH LLHLHH:
| HHLHLLLH | LLHLHH | |
| HHLHLLLH | LLHLHH |
The following plan shows the rhyme structure in two stanzas.
| OOOOOOOA | OOAOOB | |
| OOOOOOOB | OOOOOC | |
| OOOOOOOD | OODOOC | |
| OOOOOOOC | OOOOOO |
ช่อฟ้าก็เฟื้อยกลจะฟัด ดลฟากทิฆัมพร บราลีพิไลพิศบวร นภศูลสล้างลอย — Phraya Sisunthonwohan (Phan Salak),Inlarat Kham Chan (อิลราชคำฉันท์), c 1913
Transcription:
| chofa ko fueai kala cha fat | dala fak thikhamphon | |
| brali philai phisa bawon | napha sun salang loi |
| tɕʰɔ̂ː.fáːkɔ̂fɯ́ajka.látɕafát | da.lafâːktʰí.kʰām.pʰɔ̄ːn | |
| brāː.līːpʰí.lājpʰí.saba.wɔ̄ːn | ná.pʰásǔːnsa.lâːŋlɔ̄ːj |
Translation:
Thechofa stretches out as if it would fight the very sky.
The roof crest-plates are such a grand beauty to look at; the spire of the stupa soars up high.
There are several forms ofkap (กาพย์,[kàːp]), each with its specific metre and rhyming rules. Thekap may have originated either from the Indic metres or from Cambodian forms.[4]
Thekap yani (กาพย์ยานี,[kàːpjāː.nīː], oryani sip et,sip et meaningeleven, referring to the number of syllables perbat) has twobat per stanza. Each has twowak, with five and six syllables. It is slow in rhythm, and usually used to describe beauty and nature. The following plan shows the rhyming scheme in two stanzas; the spaces show the usual rhythmic breaks (not shown in writing).[4]
| OO OOA | OOA OOB | |
| OO OOB | OOO OOC | |
| OO OOD | OOD OOC | |
| OO OOC | OOO OOO |
เรือสิงห์วิ่งเผ่นโผน โจนตามคลื่นฝืนฝ่าฟอง ดูยิ่งสิงห์ลำพอง เป็นแถวท่องล่องตามกัน นาคาหน้าดั่งเป็น ดูเขม้นเห็นขบขัน มังกรถอนพายพัน ทันแข่งหน้าวาสุกรี — ChaofaThammathibet (1705–46),Kap He Ruea (กาพย์เห่เรือ พระนิพนธ์เจ้าฟ้าธรรมธิเบศร,Kap for the Royal Barge Procession)
Transcription:
| ruea sing wing phen phon | chon tam khluen fuen fa fong | |
| du ying sing lamphong | pen thaeo thong long tam kan | |
| nakha na dang pen | du khamen hen khopkhan | |
| mangkon thon phai phan | than khaeng na wasukri |
| rɯ̄asǐŋwîŋpʰènpʰǒːn | tɕōntāːmkʰlɯ̂ːnfɯ̌ːnfàːfōːŋ | |
| dūːyîŋsǐŋlām.pʰɔ̄ːŋ | pēntʰɛ̌wtʰôŋlôŋtāːmkān | |
| nāː.kʰāːnâːdàŋpēn | dūːkʰa.mênhěnkʰòp.kʰǎn | |
| māŋ.kɔ̄ːnthɔ̌ːnpʰāːjpʰān | tʰānkʰɛ̀ŋnâːwāː.sù.krīː |
Thekap chabang (กาพย์ฉบัง,[kàːptɕʰa.bāŋ], orchabang sip hok,sip hok meaningsixteen, the number of syllables per stanza) has threewak per stanza, with six syllables in the first and third, and four syllables in the second. It is often used for narratives, and often accompanies thechan. The following plan shows two stanzas.[4]
| OOOOOA | OOOA | |
| OOOOOB | ||
| OOOOOB | OOOB | |
| OOOOOO |
ธรรมะคือคุณากร ส่วนชอบสาธร ดุจดวงประทีปชัชวาล แห่งองค์พระศาสดาจารย์ ส่องสัตว์สันดาน สว่างกระจ่างใจมนท์
Transcription:
| thamma khue khunakon | suan chop sathon | |
| dut duang prathip chatchawan | ||
| haeng ong phra satsadachan | song sat sandan | |
| sawang krachang chai mon |
| tʰām.máʔkʰɯ̄ːkʰú.nāː.kɔ̄ːn | sùantɕʰɔ̂ːpsǎː.tʰɔ̄ːn | |
| dùtdūaŋpra.tʰîːptɕʰát.tɕʰa.wāːn | ||
| hɛ̀ŋʔōŋpʰráʔsàːt.sa.dāː.tɕāːn | sɔ̀ŋsàtsǎndāːn | |
| sawàːŋkra.tɕàːŋtɕāimōn |
Translation:
The Dhamma is the foundation of good, that which itself is good.
Like a bright lantern,
Of the great prophet-teacher, shining into each being's character,
Bringing light to foolish hearts.
Thekap surangkhanang yi sip paet (กาพย์สุรางคนางค์ 28,[kàːpsù.rāːŋ.kʰa.nāːŋjîːsìppɛ̀t],yi sip paet meanstwenty-eight) has sevenwak per stanza, with four syllables in eachwak. A less common form issurangkhanang sam sip song (thirty-two), with eightwak per stanza. Its rhythm is fast, and is used to describe anger and fighting. The following plan shows two stanzas ofsurangkhanang 28.[4]
| OOOA | OOOA | OOOB | ||||||||
| OOOC | OCOB | OOOB | OOOD | |||||||
| OOOE | OOOE | OOOD | ||||||||
| OOOF | OFOD | OOOD | OOOO | |||||||
In the generic sense,klon (กลอน,[klɔ̄ːn]) originally referred to any type of poetry. In the narrow sense it refers to a more recently developed form where a stanza has fourwak, each with the same number of syllables. It is usually considered an original Thai form.[5] Theklon metres are named by the number of syllables in awak, e.g.klon hok (กลอนหก,[klɔ̄ːnhòk]) has six syllables perwak (hok meanssix). All metres have the same rhyming scheme, and there are also requirements on the tone of the final syllable of eachwak. Theklon is also divided into several types according to their manner of composition, withklon suphap (กลอนสุภาพ,[klɔ̄ːnsù.pʰâːp]) being the basic form.
The following plan shows the structure ofklon suphap (two stanzas) in the most common eight-syllable variety, which was employed extensively bySunthorn Phu, and is the most common form of the Rattanakosin period. The letters in parentheses represent alternative rhyming syllables. In practice, occasionalwak with seven or nine syllables are also acceptable.
| OOO OO OOA | OOA O(A) OOB | |
| OOO OO OOB | OOB O(B) OOC | |
| OOO OO OOD | OOD O(D) OOC | |
| OOO OO OOC | OOC O(C) OOO |
ถึงโรงเหล้าเตากลั่นควันโขมง มีคันโพงผูกสายไว้ปลายเสา โอ้บาปกรรมน้ำนรกเจียวอกเรา ให้มัวเมาเหมือนหนึ่งบ้าเป็นน่าอาย ทำบุญบวชกรวดน้ำขอสำเร็จ พระสรรเพชญโพธิญาณประมาณหมาย ถึงสุราพารอดไม่วอดวาย ไม่ใกล้กรายแกล้งเมินก็เกินไป ไม่เมาเหล้าแล้วแต่เรายังเมารัก สุดจะหักห้ามจิตคิดไฉน ถึงเมาเหล้าเช้าสายก็หายไป แต่เมาใจนี้ประจำทุกค่ำคืน — Sunthorn Phu,Nirat Phukhao Thong (นิราศภูเขาทอง, c 1828)
Transcription:
| thueng rong lao tao klan khwan khamong | mi khan phong phuk sai wai plai sao | |
| o bap kam nam narok chiao ok rao | hai mua mao muean nueng ba pen na ai | |
| tham bun buat kruat nam kho samret | phra sanphet phothiyan praman mai | |
| thueng sura pha rot mai wotwai | mai klai krai klaeng moen ko koen pai | |
| mai mao lao laeo tae rao yang mao rak | sut cha hak ham chit khit chanai | |
| thueng mao lao chao sai ko hai pai | tae mao chai ni pracham thuk kham khuen |
| tʰɯ̌ŋrōːŋlâwtāwklànkʰwānkʰamǒːŋ | mīːkʰānpʰoːŋpʰùːksaːjwájplāːjsǎw | |
| ʔôːbàːpkāmnáːmna.róktɕīawʔòkrāw | hâjmūamāwmɯ̌annɯ̀ŋbâːpēnnâːʔāːj | |
| tʰāmbūnbùatkrùatnáːmkʰɔ̌ːsǎm.rèt | pʰrásǎn.pʰétpʰōː.tʰí.jāːnpra.māːnmǎːj | |
| tʰɯ̌ŋsù.rāːpʰāːrɔ̂ːtmâjwɔ̂ːtwāːj | mâjklâjkrāːjklɛ̂ːŋmɤ̄ːnkɔ̂kɤ̄ːnpāj | |
| mâjmāwlâwlɛ́ːwtɛ́ːrāwjāŋmāwrák | sùttɕahàkhâːmtɕìtkʰíttɕʰa.nǎj | |
| tʰɯ̌ŋmāwlâwtɕʰáwsǎːjkɔ̂hǎːjpāːj | tɛ̀ːmāwtɕājníːpra.tɕāmtʰúkkʰâmkʰɯ̄ːn |
Therai (ร่าย,[râːj]) is probably the oldest Thai poetic form and was used in laws and chronicles. It is also the simplest. It consists of a continuing series ofwak of unspecified number, usually with five syllables each, and with rhymes from the last syllable of awak to the first, second or third of the next. Some variations don't specify the number of syllables perwak and are actually a form ofrhymed prose. A composition consisting ofrai alternating with (and ending with)khlong is known aslilit (ลิลิต,[lí.lít]), and suggests that thekhlong developed from therai. The following is the form ofrai known asrai boran (ร่ายโบราณ,[râːjbōː.rāːn]).[6]
สรวมสวัสดิวิชัย เกริกกรุงไกรเกรียงยศ เกียรติปรากฏขจรขจาย สบายทั่วแหล่งหล้า ฝนฟ้าฉ่ำชุ่มชล ไพศรพณ์ผลพูนเพิ่ม เหิมใจราษฎร์บำเทิง...ประเทศสยามชื่นช้อย ทุกข์ขุกเข็ญใหญ่น้อย นาศไร้แรงเกษม โสตเทอญ
— KingChulalongkorn, theNitra Chakrit (ลิลิตนิทราชาคริต, 1879)
When read aloud, Thai poetry may be read conventionally, or in a melodic fashion known asthamnong sano (ทำนองเสนาะ,[tʰām.nōːŋsanɔ̀ʔ], lit.pleasing melody).Thamnong sano has many melodic styles, and there are also other specific styles used for certain performances, such assepha.Thamnong sano reading is often featured in student competitions, along with other forms of language-related performances.
