The Ready-wit poet

The Ready-wit poet
P Gaan
P K Routray

Yadumani was a poet of ready wit,
In reciting instant poetry he had shown extraordinary feat.
Once while strolling with the king on the village road,
The king saw a beautiful lady having on her face pockmarks in horde.
He asked the poet, his favorite companion, to recite a poem with a simile,
“ It is like a colander straining deep fried pastry cake of sex” he said with a smile.
Another lovely lady was standing at the door’s threshold,
The ready wit poet, the following few lines told.
“Saw the lady standing steady at the entrance door of her house feeling a little sigh
The colllyrium- black hair beauty has put on around her neck with gaiety a pearl necklace of eighty, looking at the lightning studded sky”

(2)
Once the king went with the poet and the minister to a forest,
to have a recreation and rest.
They saw running towards them a wild mad boar,
the king killed it with courage and velour.
Immediately he asked the poet on his reaction on the whole story,
thinking to listen a song in his praise and glory.
The poet wit replied without wait,
“Oh King! I am feeling a relief as if I am coming from the toilet.”
The king got insulted at this remark of the poet,
For the banishment of poet he ordered for the poet’s immediate banishment.
After a month or two the king went alone to break his daily monotony,
He saw a river and a boatman with nature in harmony.
He asked the boat man for a joy ride in the river,
Enjoyed to heart’s content the grandeur of nature.
He felt the urge of passing stool all on a sudden,
He asked the boat man to take him to the bank unable to withstand his urge for the motion.
The boat man rowed farther from the bank singing the jing's glory,
Ignoring the king's pathetic call of nature without worry.
The king begged and cajoled the boat man for a respite,
At last the boatman took the pity.
After the king came back from open air toilet,
the boat man asked him how he felt.
the king atone was reminded his act of foolishness
and repented for his cruel behavior and begged forgiveness,
as he discovered to his utter delight,
the boat man in disguise was none other than his beloved poet-wit.