Sakon Nakhon, Thailand Mar 13, 2025 (Issuewire.com) - Ajarn David, an American poet and lecturer at Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University, has released Poems from Sakon Nakhon, a bilingual poetry collection that stands as a passionate tribute to Thailand’s authentic culture, religion, and everyday life.
Having called Thailand home for over two decades, this "farang" (foreigner) poet offers 91 poems in English and Thai, blending his Western roots with a deep love for the Northeast Isaan region and the kingdom at large. The result is a work that not only celebrates Thailand but promotes its essence to readers around the globe.
Published by Ysaan Books, Ajarn David's Thai poetry reveals Thailand’s rich cultural tapestry, particularly the often-overlooked traditions of Isaan. He writes of dancers in indigo-dyed skirts, mysterious mountain paths, and rain-drenched rice fields, crafting vivid images that elevate rural Thai life beyond the postcard clichés of beaches and temples. His focus on authenticity invites readers to appreciate a Thailand rarely seen by outsiders.
Buddhism, a pillar of Thai identity, pulses through Ajarn David’s verses with profound respect. Poem #76 honors Ajarn Mun, a revered forest monk who chose death in the city to protect Thailand’s wilderness. With a keen sense of the dharma, the expat poet doesn’t just admire Thai Buddhism but understands its role in shaping lives, offering a spiritual narrative that resonates universally. By sharing these insights, he promotes Thailand’s religious heritage as a gift to the world.
Poems from Sakon Nakhon (Thai Poetry in English) also honors the quiet beauty of daily Thai life. Poem #6 playfully describes the angelic nature of a 30-baht noodle soup vendor, while #85 transforms butterfly pea tea with honey and lime into a regal experience for an ordinary man. These moments — small yet significant — showcase Thailand’s charm in its unpretentious joys, a charm Ajarn David has come to cherish.
Reviewers have described the book as an elegant love letter to Thailand, offering rare insights into its culture, faith, and people. The book is available internationally in hardcover and paperback from Amazon. In Thailand it can be found at the online retailers Lazada and Shopee.
For more information, please visit the publisher's website at Ysaan.com.
Media Contact
Ysaan Books ysaanbooks@gmail.com Ysaan Books, Ban Non Chonprathan, Tambon Phang Khwang, Amphur Mueang, Sakon Nakhon, 47000 https://ysaan.com
