An Encounter With The King: A Humble Tribute To Jim Corbett Poem by Pradip Chattopadhyay

Hush descended on the birds of the valley
a horned owl hooted on the hill above me
emerged from the mist a pale blue moon
you know in the jungle the night comes soon!

Nocturne shimmered expectant still
the king had arrived to claim his kill
his shadow moved with a low mutter growl
stopped in its hoot the lone horned owl!

Thirty feet below neath the yawning screen
on the big oak the tallest on ravine
it so seemed but only a few pace
within the reach of the king's embrace!

The two only knew who were in the war
one to be witnessed by the langur sambar
cries of caution they all would sing
not least bothered arrived the king!

On its track stopped the wind afraid
as the risen moon showed the king's head
his paws advanced eyes fixed on me
for three days the king was going hungry!

Licking his kill he took an apple bite
birds took flight night froze in fright
to shoulder must raise my rifle on knees
while the king ate his dinner in peace!

His eyes glimmered in pleasure's full glow
my fingers closed and inched up slow
but what I did over the valley rang out
cupping my hands gave a full throated shout!

It echoed in the hill such loud was the blare
the king ran for life with his tail in the air
and so long he lived couldn't recover from daze
of being driven by a weakling out of village!