Kapil Dev

a poem by Rajah Iyer S

Way back in the eighties
Five men army hurried back in style
Asking me too to be out on time
Indicating a Million!

Questioning myself when I went out
Should I also join the just knocked out
Bunch of boys of my team
Zimbabwe left me to redeem?

I thank the one did me proud,my bat
That shook the world that went flat
Leaving the ten soldiers sulking
Who else but Kapil is the King?

Later on when Viv was on
The style of his walking
Coupled with his batting
Sent us from Lords to Lucknow!

But couldn’t I have, do you get the hint
A million dollar more laughing to the mint,
Just dropping that Flying Saucer that went
Was it going from London to Kent?

Patriotism runs thro’ my artery
Otherwise I’d have been a run down battery!
Was it Mohinder, on time, to Back me up
Did me proud by lifting the cup!

On I went as an innocent lad
Breaking my neck on pitches so flat
So slow that all my limbs would crack
Like a Fool did I hit that Hadlee with a smack!

But this land of ours that begot Rajaji and Bose
Mudslinging is an art that men like me must face!
Is itn’t Narayana the great scientist himself of repute
Had to undergo the torment of unfortunate disrepute?

Or is it not true that politicians of pomp and show
With bladder full of money and coffer full of jewellery
Escape from court to court tho’ they know they stole!
Should I bother much about this fable of no hold?

But I tend to break down as I toiled and toiled
They don’t care as their hands are soiled
I break down as I can’t stand it anymore
They walk with pride as they have shame no more!

In this land of ours where truth is the motto
We tend to give pride of place to all sorts of Lottos!
A simple story will make a magazine favoured
Never will they think even Narayana is unspared!