Saksiri Meesomsueb (ศักดิ์สิริ มีสมสืบ)

Saksiri Meesomsueb (ศักดิ์สิริ มีสมสืบ): A visionary Thai litterateur, artist, and musician whose profound, child-like poetic gaze dissects the intricate layers of human nature, society, and spirituality.

Saksiri Meesomsueb is the pen name of Kittisak Meesomsueb (กิตติศักดิ์ มีสมสืบ). Born on Friday, August 23, 1957, he spent his formative years in the Phaisali District (อำเภอไพศาลี), Nakhon Sawan Province (จังหวัดนครสวรรค์). He completed his primary and lower secondary education at Nimitsuksa School (โรงเรียนนิมิตศึกษา) before pursuing his artistic and academic credentials as follows:

1972 – 1976: Higher Vocational Certificate in Fine Arts (International Painting) from the Poh-Chang School of Arts (โรงเรียนเพาะช่าง), Pahurat, Bangkok—presently known as the Poh-Chang Academy of Arts, Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin (วิทยาลัยเพาะช่าง มหาวิทยาลัยเทคโนโลยีราชมงคลรัตนโกสินทร์).

1981 – 1982: Bachelor of Education in Art Education from Phranakhon Teachers' College (วิทยาลัยครูพระนคร), Bangkok—presently Phranakhon Rajabhat University (มหาวิทยาลัยราชภัฏพระนคร).

Saksiri Meesomsueb operates at the intersection of three artistic disciplines: Literature (วรรณกรรม), Fine Arts (จิตรกรรม), and Music and Composition (ดนตรีและเพลง).

The Poetic Style: Freedom and Innovation

Saksiri’s poetic oeuvre encompasses both conventional prosody and free verse. His blank verse (กลอนเปล่า), in particular, possesses a distinct, unparalleled signature.

In 1992, Saksiri achieved widespread acclaim when he was honored with the S.E.A. Write Award (รางวัลซีไรต์) in poetry for his anthology, That Hand is White (มือนั้นสีขาว). The official 1992 S.E.A. Write Award citation states:

"...Saksiri Meesomsueb masterfully conjures a new, liberated prosody from the rich tapestry of traditional Thai verse. The resulting forms emerge organically, operating in perfect harmony with the text's underlying essence..."

His poetry frequently employs the innocent, unblemished gaze of childhood, juxtaposed with a subtle undercurrent of wit. By utilizing rustic settings and youthful protagonists, his verses serve as a conduit for profound sociopolitical, cultural, and theological discourse—critiquing the external world while introspecting the internal psyche.

Structurally, Saksiri pioneers a liberated prosody adapted from classical foundations, fluidly arranging word counts and eschewing rigid inter-stanza rhyme schemes. He rhythmically utilizes short vowels as the linguistic equivalent of eighth notes (เขบ็ต) to blend disparate poetic forms. Consequently, his work invites multi-dimensional interpretations, offering layers that range from accessible to profoundly complex depending on the reader's cultural literacy.


Featured Commemorative Edition:

Selected Poems: Four Decades of Saksiri Meesomsueb (กวีนิพนธ์คัดสรร สี่ทศวรรษ ศักดิ์สิริ มีสมสืบ)

This special publication curates forty years of poetic mastery by Saksiri Meesomsueb, who was officially designated a National Artist in Literature (ศิลปินแห่งชาติ สาขาวรรณศิลป์) in 2016.

"Good heavens! My dear Saksiri Meesomsueb possesses this extraordinary ability to move me to laughter and tears simultaneously."

— Pailin Rungrat (ไพลิน รุ้งรัตน์), Editor and Introduction Author

Pailin Rungrat first encountered Saksiri’s work through the book Sand Dolls (ตุ๊กตารอยทราย). At a time when most contemporary poets strictly adhered to classical prosody, Saksiri's unique rendition of free verse struck Pailin as nothing short of a literary marvel.

Note: This collector's edition is exclusively available via direct order and is not distributed through mainstream bookstores.

Published by Sommadhi Publishing House (สำนักพิมพ์สมมติ).



Order  Selected Poems: Four Decades of Saksiri Meesomsueb