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The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand

Volume XVI-2024 (Special Issue)

King Rama V and the Evolution of Kap He Poetry

The evolution of subject matter and the evolution of enhancing the beauty of Kap
He poetry were found in the Kap He poem created by King Rama V.

His Kap He poetry included He Chom Suan (praising the beauty of gardens), He Chom Nok

(praising birds), He Chom Mai (praising trees), and He Chom Chom (praising feminine beauty)
1. The evolution of subject matter.
In He Chom Chom, King Rama V introduces a new literary device in Kap He poetry.

He focuses and admires the beauty of each part of the feminine body, one by one from head

to toe. Although other poets had captured the overall beauty of their beloved, but none had
praised her part by part in a Kap He poem as seen in Kap He Chom Chom by King Rama V.
2. The evolution of enhancing the beauty of Kap Yani in Kap He poetry.

In He Chom Chom, King Rama V used the same word “phit” (meaning gazing) at

the beginning of five continuing verses of Kap Yani to focus on each part of feminine beauty.
They were “gazing at her eyebrows”, “gazing at her mouth”, “gazing at her ears”, “gazing at
her breasts” and “gazing at her arms”. This specific style of writing was called in Thai Konlabot

Butsabong Yaem Phaka. In addition, he also used other specific style of writing Kap Yani called

Konlabot Rak Roi. That was repeating the same word at the second and third word in the first
phrase of Kap Yani in three verses to emphasize the beauty of the specific part. For example.
“phit ot ot cha-laem” meaning gazing at her mouth, a mouth which was charming.

“phit kan kan bang riap” meaning gazing at her ears, ears that were smooth and thin.

“phit than than teng tang”, meaning gazing at her breasts, breasts that were firm
and supple.
The two characteristics in the composition above were not found before in the

creation of Kap He poetry especially the enhancing rhythmic beauty in composing Kap Yani

in Kap He poetry.

King Rama VI and the Evolution of Kap He Poetry

Five significant evolutions in Kap He of King Rama VI were marked. They were as follows:

1. The evolution of the size of Kap He poem. King Rama VI composed Kap He Ruea Yuk
Mai which was much larger than any Kap He Ruea poetry that had been created. It comprised of
twelve chapters with altogether twelve verses of Khlong Si Suphap and one hundred and ninety

one verses of Kap Yani.

2. The evolution of the subject matter of Kap He poetry. This evolution was divided into
two subtopics.

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