Grumbly And Mark Poem by Supriya Prathapan

Grumbly did not like to study,
Parents, teachers, friends, he didn't listen to anybody.
"School work is so boring", he would complain,
In every subject, an ‘E' grade was all he could obtain.
One day while playing in the park,
Grumbly met a boy named Mark.
He seemed to be good at every game,
His polished manners added to his parky fame.
Everyone wanted to befriend him,
Except Grumbly, who looked forlorn and grim.
Mark approached the lonely boy,
Who seemed to be curious and coy.


Grumbly: You seem to be good at everything.
Mark: How can you say? About me, you don't know a thing.
Grumbly: Oh! Stop being modest!
Mark: No pal, I'm just being honest.
I am no good at school
Grumbly: Ah! You bet I'm a bigger fool.
Mark: How can you be so sure?
Grumbly: My parents and teachers regularly assure.
Mark: So what are you good at?
Grumbly: Umm! I think I can bat.
Mark: Grand! I'm good at bowling.
Grumbly: Would you mind playing?
Mark: Why not! Let's see how well you bat.
Grumbly: You won't be disappointed, I can assure you that.



Grumbly hit a six of every ball,
Everyone in the park was enthralled.
For the first time in his life,
Grumbly experienced a sense of pride.
The poor lad, had never tasted success before that,
Other children gaped, as they watched him bat.
Mark was humiliated,
He left the park feeling defeated.
Grumbly was relishing his success,
He didn't care about Mark's distress.
After this, Grumbly started working very hard,
He now wanted to be clever and smart.
All the school work, he happily did,
And soon became a star kid.
Grumbly continued going to the park,
But he never met or even missed Mark.
The boy who was indirectly responsible for all his fame,
Never came back to play a game.
Years later when Grumbly became a successful man,
He often pondered over the divine plan.
That game had changed his destiny,
And Mark remained his life's greatest mystery.



One day when Grumbly was hiring people for his company,
He met a man who looked doleful and melancholy.
(Grumbly started interviewing him)
Grumbly: What is your name?
Mark: I am the boy you defeated in a cricket game
(Grumbly carefully observed the man's features. He was Mark without a doubt)
Grumbly: Oh My God! It's you at last!
Mark: Yes, many years have passed.
Grumbly: Why do you look so sad?
Mark: I feel like an absolute loser. At everything I am bad.
Grumbly: Oh come on, each one of us has some talent.
Mark: All my talents seem to be latent.
Grumbly: Do you know, you made me?
Mark: Huh! ! ! ! How can that be?
Grumbly: You do remember the cricket match when you bowled and I did bat?
Mark: Yes, I how can I forget that? I left feeling very sad.
Grumbly: You gave me the first taste of success man!
Mark: Well that precisely was my plan!
Grumbly: I'm afraid, I don't understand.
Mark: You looked very sad. I wanted to make you feel grand.
Grumbly: What urged you to do that?
Mark: Don't know why, but I had seen you bat.
Grumbly: But I wasn't very good at that.
Mark: Lack of confidence was your problem, I could sense that.
Grumbly: How did you guess that I would hit a six of every ball?
Mark: Ha-ha! Because I didn't know how to bowl!
Grumbly: Oh My God! ! ! ! ! ! God! You were humiliated!
Mark: That's why Mr. Entrepreneur, in front of you I am seated.
Grumbly: What do you mean?
Mark: I felt defeated and gave up my dreams.
Grumbly: Well, from now on you'll never regret what you did.
Mark: Can you be a little more lucid?
Does that mean that I have been selected?
Grumbly: The Director of this company, you've been appointed.
Mark: I can't find words to express my gratitude.
Grumbly: My dear friend, you've been rewarded for your solicitude.