English Thai Poem # 15 | Poems from Sakon Nakhon

Poems from Sakon Nakhon

T he hot season
is a time of rest,
when 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 dtam
being made,

a time
to set the world aside
and let the heart recuperate,
from what's been lost
and what's been
gained.

ยามร้อนระอุ ผู้คนพักผ่อน ดินแห้งเป็นทราย พฤกษาเขียวขจีกลายเป็นสีน้ำตาล สาโทเย็นชื่นพร้อมดื่มในศาลาริมสระใส เสียงหมอลำและส้มตำแว่วมาไกล ขอพักวางโลกภายนอกไว้ เพื่อไตร่ตรองซึ่งสิ่งเสียไปและสิ่งได้มา พร้อมฟื้นฟูจิตใจให้สดใสเหมือนใหม่อีกครั้ง

yaam-ráwn rá-u · pôo-kon pák-pàwn · din-hâeng bpen saai · préuk-săa kĭeow-kà-jee glaai bpen sĕe-nám-dtaan · săa-toh yen-chêun práwm dèum nai săa-laa rim sà-săi · sĭang mŏr-lam láe sôm-dtam wâew maa glai · kŏr pák waang lôhk paai-nâwk wái · pêua dtrài-dtrong sêung sìng-sĭa · bpai láe sìng dâai maa · práwm féun-foo jit-jai hâi sòt-săi mĕuan mài èek-kráng

Thai Translations

The goal of the Thai translations in Poems from Sakon Nakhon is to help Thai English students better understand the poems, as well as assist learners of the Thai language. Therefore, the translations do not follow the rules of any particular style of traditional Thai poetry, which are highly structured

The translations might be described as free verse or a modern, free-form rai-inspired style of Thai poetry, retaining the flowing, narrative essence of "rai" while adapted to a contemporary context. They use some rhyme and alliteration to make the translation pleasing to the ear when spoken, though they do not adhere to a fixed rhyme scheme or meter.