{"id":6191,"date":"2026-06-10T12:40:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T12:40:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/?p=6191"},"modified":"2026-06-10T13:20:41","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T13:20:41","slug":"the-wit-of-pho-htu-taw-u-mins-poem-made-king-tharrawaddy-laughing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/2026\/06\/10\/the-wit-of-pho-htu-taw-u-mins-poem-made-king-tharrawaddy-laughing\/","title":{"rendered":"The wit of Pho Htu Taw U Min&#8217;s poem made King Tharrawaddy laughing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>One anecdote illustrates the wit of Pho Htu Taw U Min. King Tharrawaddy once visited Kyaukse to inspect irrigation dams. The king\u2019s command was simple: describe the laborers sawing wood with their long steel saws, pushing and pulling in rhythm, sweating, and keeping the line straight. On the surface, U Min\u2019s verse did that faithfully but there was the sly humor in U Min\u2019s improvisation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-68.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6197\" srcset=\"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-68.png 224w, https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-68-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 224px) 100vw, 224px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"417\" height=\"587\" src=\"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-69.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-69.png 417w, https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-69-213x300.png 213w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 417px) 100vw, 417px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cPull straight, pull true,<\/em> <em>Do not stumble or stray.<\/em> <em>Sweat flows as you work,<\/em> <em>O mighty saw master\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the double meaning is hard to miss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The imagery of \u201cpushing and pulling,\u201d \u201csweat flowing,\u201d and \u201cdon\u2019t stumble\u201d could easily be read as a cheeky allusion to intimacy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When King Tharrawaddy laughed and remarked, <strong><em>\u201cYour verse is clever indeed \u2014 but without the saw it would be rather difficult,\u201d<\/em> <\/strong>the pun deepened. The word \u201csaw\u201d could be heard as a playful stand\u2011in for something else, making the whole exchange a satire with a risqu\u00e9 undertone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is why contemporaries admired U Min\u2019s wit: he could obey the king\u2019s order instantly, yet slip in a layered joke that entertained the court. It\u2019s a reminder that Burmese poets often played with double meanings, balancing artistry with daring humor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u101c\u103d\u103e\u101e\u1019\u102c\u1038\u1019\u103b\u102c\u1038 \u101c\u103d\u103e\u1006\u103d\u1032\u1014\u1031\u1000\u103c\u101e\u100a\u103a\u104b\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nYzht-oaD0w?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Paired Poets (\u201c\u1021\u1001\u1036\u1021\u1021\u102f\u1015\u103a\u201d)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Both Pho Htu Taw U Min and Lu U Min were celebrated in the reigns of Bagyidaw and Tharrawaddy. They often wrote linked verses \u2014 one beginning, the other completing \u2014 which earned them the nickname \u201cpaired poets.\u201d Their playful exchanges sometimes carried satire or double meanings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Lu U Min:<\/strong> <em>\u201cThe steamed bean bends so sweet,<\/em> <em>Nothing more needs be said.\u201d<\/em> <em>(Here \u201cSadaw Pae\u201d \u2014 steamed beans \u2014 was a common breakfast, praised for its sweetness.)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pho Htu Taw U Min (replying):<\/strong> <em>\u201cAt night, the moon shines bright,<\/em> <em>Yet the hidden wind stirs often.\u201d<\/em> <em>(\u201cLay pone\u201d literally means wind concealed \u2014 a pun on flatus, passing frequently.)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This kind of verse shows their wit: starting with something innocent and everyday (beans at breakfast), then twisting it into a cheeky nocturnal image with bodily humor. It\u2019s lighthearted, a little vulgar, but also clever \u2014 exactly the kind of satire that made them memorable in Burmese literary culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Credit: Dr. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/hla.bu.873903?__cft__[0]=AZazXJBXI6gscUHkA7ZPrOec4LwEUFE5ldN98Rok2NHVWMfpYdJB8tOgr-w7JJ0E8v3bija1GrRvgyYXtUWCUQk_b0IpGw6sNHevnNbVXI-sqOrAyfkh7AzR9NABwNiJyJ_skqubfRp7WAZ4RFwUOOwfVzk2RgmUizHbJaIGAE8PDQ&amp;__tn__=-UC%2CP-R\"><strong>Hla Bu<\/strong><\/a>&#8216;s FB<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u1006\u101b\u102c\u1000\u103c\u102e\u1038 \u100a\u102d\u102f\u1019\u103c \u101b\u1032\u1037\u1000\u102f\u1014\u103a\u1038\u1018\u1031\u102c\u1004\u103a\u101b\u103e\u102c\u1015\u102f\u1036\u1010\u1031\u102c\u103a\u1011\u1032\u1000 \u1016\u102d\u102f\u1038\u101e\u1030\u1010\u1031\u102c\u103a \u1026\u1038\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038\u101b\u1032\u1037 \u101b\u101a\u103a\u1005\u101b\u102c \u1000\u1017\u103b\u102c\u101c\u1031\u1038 \u1010\u1015\u102f\u1012\u103a\u1000\u102d\u102f \u1015\u103c\u1014\u103a\u1015\u103c\u102e\u1038 \u1016\u1031\u102c\u1000\u103a\u101e\u100a\u103a\u1001\u103b\u1015\u102b\u101b\u1005\u1031 \u104b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u1010\u1001\u102b\u1000 \u101e\u102c\u101a\u102c\u101d\u1010\u102e\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038 \u101f\u102c \u1000\u102d\u102f\u1038\u1001\u101b\u102d\u102f\u1004\u103a \u1006\u100a\u103a\u1010\u1031\u102c\u103a\u1019\u103b\u102c\u1038\u1000\u102d\u102f \u101c\u103e\u100a\u1037\u103a\u1000\u103c\u100a\u1037\u103a\u101b\u1004\u103a\u1038 \u1000\u103b\u1031\u102c\u1000\u103a\u1006\u100a\u103a\u1000\u102d\u102f \u101b\u1031\u102c\u1000\u103a\u101c\u102c\u1010\u101a\u103a \u104b \u1000\u103b\u1031\u102c\u1000\u103a\u1006\u100a\u103a \u1021\u1005\u102f\u1000\u103c\u102e\u1038\u101b\u1015\u103a\u1019\u103e\u102c \u101c\u103d\u103e\u1005\u1004\u103a \u1010\u1001\u102f\u1019\u103e\u102c \u101c\u103d\u103e\u101e\u1019\u102c\u1038\u1019\u103b\u102c\u1038 \u101c\u103d\u103e\u1006\u103d\u1032\u1014\u1031\u1010\u102c \u1019\u103c\u1004\u103a\u1010\u1031\u102c\u1037 \u1018\u102f\u101b\u1004\u103a\u1000 \u1016\u102d\u102f\u1038\u101e\u1030\u1010\u1031\u102c\u103a\u1026\u1038\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038 \u1000\u102d\u102f &#8221; \u1000\u1032 \u1019\u1031\u102c\u1004\u103a\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038 \u104a \u101c\u103d\u103e\u101e\u1019\u102c\u1038\u1019\u103b\u102c\u1038 \u101c\u103d\u103e\u1006\u103d\u1032\u1015\u102f\u1036\u1000\u102d\u102f \u101b\u102f\u1015\u103a\u101c\u102f\u1036\u1038\u1015\u1031\u102b\u103a\u1021\u1031\u102c\u1004\u103a \u1005\u102c\u1006\u102d\u102f\u1005\u1019\u103a\u1038&#8221; \u101c\u102d\u102f\u1037 \u1021\u1019\u102d\u1014\u1037\u103a\u1015\u1031\u1038\u1010\u101a\u103a \u104b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u1026\u1038\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038\u1000\u101c\u100a\u103a\u1038 \u1001\u103b\u1000\u103a\u1001\u103c\u1004\u103a\u1038\u1015\u1032 \u1005\u1015\u103a\u101c\u102d\u102f\u1000\u103a\u1010\u101a\u103a \u104b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8221; \u1010\u1032\u1037\u1005\u1031\u1010\u1032\u1037 \u1010\u1032\u1037\u1005\u1031<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u1021\u101c\u103d\u1032\u1001\u103b\u1031\u102c\u103a\u1019\u1006\u1031\u102c\u1004\u1037\u103a\u1015\u102b\u1014\u1032\u1037<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u101c\u1019\u103a\u1038\u1016\u103c\u1031\u102c\u1004\u1037\u103a\u1015\u102b\u1005\u1031 \u104b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u101c\u102f\u1015\u103a\u101c\u1031\u101c\u1031<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u1001\u103b\u103d\u1031\u1038\u1010\u103d\u1031\u1000 \u101a\u102d\u102f\u1005\u102e\u1038<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u1021\u101c\u103d\u1032\u1001\u103b\u1031\u102c\u103a\u1019\u1000\u103b\u1005\u1031\u1014\u1032\u1037<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(\u1021\u102d\u102f\u1000\u103d\u102c)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038 \u101c\u103d\u103e\u101e\u1030\u1000\u103c\u102e\u1038 \u104b&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u101c\u102d\u102f\u1037 \u101c\u1000\u103a\u1004\u1004\u103a\u1038 \u1005\u1015\u103a\u1015\u103c\u101c\u102d\u102f\u1000\u103a\u101e\u1010\u1032\u1037 \u104b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u101e\u102c\u101a\u102c\u101d\u1010\u102e\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038\u1000 \u101e\u1018\u1031\u102c\u1000\u103b\u101c\u103d\u1014\u103a\u1038\u101c\u102d\u102f\u1037 \u101b\u101a\u103a\u1015\u103c\u102e\u1038\u1010\u1031\u102c\u1037 &#8211;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8221; \u1019\u1031\u102c\u1004\u103a\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038\u1005\u102c\u1000 \u1015\u103c\u1031\u102c\u1004\u103a\u101c\u100a\u103a\u1038 \u1015\u103c\u1031\u102c\u1004\u103a\u1019\u103c\u1031\u102c\u1000\u103a\u1015\u102b\u1015\u1031\u1010\u101a\u103a \u104b \u1012\u102b\u1015\u1031\u1019\u1032\u1037 \u101c\u103d\u103e\u1019\u1015\u102b\u101b\u1004\u103a\u1010\u1031\u102c\u1037 \u1001\u1015\u103a\u1001\u1000\u103a\u1001\u1000\u103a\u1015\u1032 &#8221; \u101c\u102d\u102f\u1037\u1015\u103c\u1031\u102c\u101e\u1010\u1032\u1037 \u104b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u1016\u102d\u102f\u1038\u101e\u1030\u1010\u1031\u102c\u103a \u1026\u1038\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038 \u101c\u1030\u1026\u1038\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u1016\u102d\u102f\u1038\u101e\u1030\u1010\u1031\u102c\u103a \u1026\u1038\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038 \u1014\u1032\u1037 \u101c\u1030 \u1026\u1038\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038\u1010\u102d\u102f\u1037\u101f\u102c\u101c\u100a\u103a\u1038 \u1012\u102e\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038 \u1014\u103e\u1005\u103a\u1006\u1000\u103a\u1019\u103e\u102c \u1011\u1004\u103a\u101b\u103e\u102c\u1038\u1010\u1032\u1037 \u1005\u102c\u1006\u102d\u102f\u1010\u103d\u1031\u1015\u102b \u104b \u1042 \u1026\u1038\u101c\u102f\u1036\u1038 \u101c\u1031\u1038\u1001\u103b\u102d\u102f\u1038\u1010\u103d\u1031 \u1000\u1017\u103b\u102c\u1010\u103d\u1031\u101c\u103d\u1019\u103a\u1038\u1001\u103b\u1004\u103a\u1038\u1010\u103d\u1031 \u1021\u101b\u1031\u1038\u1000\u1031\u102c\u1004\u103a\u1038\u1015\u102b\u1010\u101a\u103a \u104b \u101e\u1030\u1010\u102d\u102f\u1037\u1000 \u1010\u101a\u1031\u102c\u1000\u103a\u1000 \u101b\u103e\u1031\u1037\u1000 \u1010\u1015\u102d\u102f\u1012\u103a\u1001\u1036\u101c\u102d\u102f\u1000\u103a\u101b\u1004\u103a \u1014\u1031\u102c\u1000\u103a\u1010\u101a\u1031\u102c\u1000\u103a\u1000 \u1006\u1000\u103a\u1015\u103c\u102e\u1038 \u1021\u1006\u102f\u1036\u1038\u101e\u1010\u103a\u101b\u1031\u1038\u1010\u1010\u103a\u1000\u103c\u101c\u102d\u102f\u1037 &#8220;\u1021\u1001\u1036\u1021\u1021\u102f\u1015\u103a&#8221; \u1005\u102c\u1006\u102d\u102f\u1010\u1031\u102c\u103a\u1019\u103b\u102c\u1038\u101c\u102d\u102f\u1037\u101c\u100a\u103a\u1038 \u101e\u102d\u1000\u103c\u1015\u102b\u1010\u101a\u103a \u104b\u101e\u1030\u1010\u102d\u102f\u1037\u101b\u1031\u1038\u101e\u103d\u102c\u1038\u1010\u1032\u1037\u1021\u1011\u1032\u1000 \u1014\u1019\u1030\u1014\u102c \u1015\u103c\u101b\u101b\u1004\u103a &#8211;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u1015\u1032\u1000\u101c\u1031\u1038\u1000 \u1006\u102d\u1019\u1037\u103a\u101c\u102d\u102f\u1000\u103a\u1010\u102c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u1015\u103c\u1031\u102c\u1005\u101b\u102c\u101b\u103e\u102d\u1018\u1030\u1038 \u104b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>( \u101c\u1030\u1026\u1038\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038 )<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u100a\u1021\u1001\u102b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u101c\u101e\u102c\u101e\u102c \u1000\u102d\u102f\u101a\u103a\u1010\u1031\u102c\u103a\u101e\u102f\u1036\u1038\u1010\u101a\u103a<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u101c\u1031\u1015\u102f\u1014\u103a\u1038\u1000\u1019\u103c\u1030\u1038 \u104b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>( \u1016\u102d\u102f\u1038\u101e\u1030\u1010\u1031\u102c\u103a \u1026\u1038\u1019\u1004\u103a\u1038 )<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One anecdote illustrates the wit of Pho Htu Taw U Min. King Tharrawaddy once visited Kyaukse to inspect irrigation dams. The king\u2019s command was simple: describe the laborers sawing wood with their long steel saws, pushing and pulling in rhythm, sweating, and keeping the line straight. On the surface, U Min\u2019s verse did that faithfully [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6192,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,6,27,132,123],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-history","category-poem","category-satire","category-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6191"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6191\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6200,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6191\/revisions\/6200"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6192"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}