Poems Honouring Bhamo Tin Aung

(Translated by Dr Maung Maung Nyo)


1. The night the star fell
(Kye Kyway Thaw Nya)

That night alone ...
Ko Tin Aye told me on phone,
"Ko Tin Aung passed away", my heart ached
"Oh, a star has fallen...", I said, dazed.



Next day in the morning hue
Dr. Ba Tun and Ko Tin Nyunt
Came in to discuss what to do
Joining us at South Okkalappa
Reminding us that "He was a people's writer!"

As he had told me before
"His body be cremated,
His ashes will be entombed," I suggested
Everybody accepted in a body
So it was agreed.


I was instructed
To construct a tomb's model
I did it well happily
His life, his philosophy
To be enshrined by architecture
At big base black marble structure
Snatched from the remnants of Hmaing's tomb
Climbed upwards as a tapering dome
One scarlet layer, then uppermost gold
The tip holds a glittering star to behold!

The base denotes true
Broad big masses of people
Black signifies deepest united energy
Red means young militant activity
Star gleans for noble high ideal
All feel satisfied and yield
Architect Saya Shwe agreed to build.

At Kyandaw Cemetery
In 1978, beside Ko Aung Gyaw's tomb
Bouquets of flowers aplomb
Teenage girls dare each other
Don flowers on their bosoms to my amazement
Reverend Saya Shin recited dhamma sacrament
That ascended in the air blessing
Kyandaw Cemetery dressed in echo wind.

After entombing gingerly
Groups of relatives, friends and followers
Paid respects and I, his sincerely,
Adorned the fragrant red"Thaw-ka flower"
Ko Ohn had handed , to his tomb to cover.

Bhamo Tin Aung!
So well known among people
I do honour you!

Dagon Taryar (2.4.1998)
Translated by Dr. Maung Maung Nyo

(I almost cry whenever I read this poem.
Bhamo Tin Aung was such a selfless, pennyless,
dedicated, highly talented writer
who lived for his country and people only.)

2 A. Bhamo Tin Aung a.k.a. Bhamo Rebel

Imprisoned on an island
Incarcerated in Insein prison
He never failed to recommend
What people should demand and do
Not forgetting democracy and human rights too.

He was never afraid to die
So, he fought for people all the time
He wrote “The Great Rebel (Tha Bon Gyi)”
He also penned “Pyidawthar Khin Khin Oo” novel
He himself was a courageous rebel!

Nyein Chan Thu

2 B. His Biography

He wrote for a cause
He spoke for the plot
He sowed the red seeds on top
He had accomplished a lot.

He shone like Northern Star
Or was it a North Pole aurora?
It’s difficult to decipher
Sometimes things are blurred.

Bhamo Tin Aung was an enigma
He had a charming character
And he had charisma
But something was hidden from us
Let’s keep his secret as such!

Yebaw Soe Chit


2 C. It’s Historic

Bhamo Tin Aung was a red writer
He himself was red in character
He was smart, intelligent and clever
He was a beacon of light for his followers.

This light dispelled darkness from the people
Educating them to fight dark people that ruled
Robbers, capitalists and hooligans as night dudes
He exposed human cruelty, exploitation and untruths
His light became redder and stronger as dawn neared
He was red in his deeds and written literature!

In the history of Burmese literature
Kodaw Hmaing had set his own signature
Bhamo Tin Aung had similar caricature
Making people his cause and guide
Immersing himself in the people’s fight for rights
He was right in the centre of people’s fights.

Using Burmese colloquial and slang
He popularized such words as “Tawtkar, Be, Ye and Nei”
He made his own style of writing Burmese novels
That became best sellers with followers special.

Dark forces and persons opposed him
They tried to silent him by imprisoning
They even sent him to Co Co Island prison
But, truth prevailed and Bhamo Tin Aung survived
Those dark forces had vanished and evaporated
He was honoured by the people and vindicated.

Though he died in 1978 of lung cancer
He is still alive in Burma and its Diaspora
His name shines in Burmese literature
His writings remain as popular as ever
His characters live on, their words endure
He lives in the hearts of literary lovers
He is now the “Red Star over Burma”
Bhamo Tin Aung lives on for ever!

Win Tint Tun