Sonnet 26
by Preeyakit Buranasin
Before he was the matchless Monkey King,
He was merely a monkey that could fly.
Unlike his kind that liked to dance and sing,
He wanted the ripe mango in the sky.
So flew he did, alone, afar, apart,
Much higher than all the odd apes of Oz.
‘twas hunger, not hubris, that helmed his heart.
Until he reached the royal realm of gods.
But as he was about to eat the sun,
A furious god struck him with thunderbolt.
‘I severed his jaw. It had to be done,’
The god said. ‘It was the monkey’s own fault.’
And thus, the greatest tale of Ramayan
Began that day when he became the Hanuman.
