The World Record

He equaled a world record

Yet not a flicker in his eyes did we see

Calmly, having done the deed

He turned to walk away from the crease

A faint soft smile was all that

He allowed himself to touch

The man’s humility was never more palpable

Than in that moment that should have meant so much

Such enormous talent balanced with grace

Raised goose bumps on one of his many admirers

Nothing could have better complimented him

For being the man he is and the respect he has garnered

Many stalwarts have walked this course

And many more shall follow in his wake

But to retain that humility and still surge ahead

Is something that most celebrities unwittingly forsake

So here I offer, my admiration

For what he has wondrously achieved today

It is more for what he is…despite

And pray that he sees more grace some day…

~Glowing Embers~

2^nd Dec 2004

(For Anil Kumble, the gentleman cricketer, on equaling Kapil Dev’s World Record as India's highest Test wicket-taker with 434 wickets to his credit.)

More Poems By Glowing Embers

Kavitanjali