ThaiARC Thai Verse Index

Text from: Thomas J. Hudak (1990)
The Indigenization of Pali Meters in Thai Poetry.
Monographs in International Studies.
Southeast Asia Series No. 87. Athens: Ohio University.
(with author's permission)

Most critics consider kl@@n to be a true Thai form, although it bears a certain similarities to Chinese verse and the patthayaawatchan meter. Usually kl@@n has four to eight syllables per baat. Two main types appear, kl@@nhok with six syllables per baat, and kl@@n paaet with eight. Gedney points out that the kl@@n form consists of a series of three phrases of two or three syllables each. These phrases can be phonological or syntactic. Thus kl@@n hok consists of three two-syllable phrases. OO   OO   OO And kl@@npaaet has a series of two-, three-, and two-syllable phrases OO   OOO   OO Four wak(one wak = one baat) of either kl@@nhok or kl@@npaaet form a stanza.       Tonal requirements for the kl@@n stanza include the following (1) the last syllable of the first wak may have any of the five tones, although the mid tone is rarely used because it is now a pleasing sound for this position; (2) the last syllable of the second wak may have any tone except mid, with the rising tone preferred; (3) the last syllable of the third wak may have any tone except the same tone as the preceding wak, with the mid tone preferred; and (4) the last syllable of the forth wak cannot have the rising tone, the mid tone being the most preferred for this position. These tonal restrictions, utilizing the five tone system, indicate that kl@@n must have reached its full development after the tone splits. The following is a list of kl@@n with versification pattern and audio samples. Poetry reading performed by Mr. Thaworn Sikkhakosol, Lecturer of Faculty of Liberal Arts, Thammasat University. 1. kl@@n hok 2. kl@@n cet 3. kl@@n paaet 4. kl@@n kaaw