1
Volcanic rockets put down jets of fire
Erupting in a raging sea of flame
Engulfing the whole pad, as higher, higher
Leapt blazes full of fury nought could tame.
2
The silver bullet hurtled through the sky,
Now stabbing at the clouds and sundering
The fortresses of heaven, vast and high.
Stupendous and beyond all wondering!
3
The aerospace adventure would enlarge
Dominions subject to the firm decree
Of Udi, Queen of Ung, the one in charge
Of Nya, here in the galaxy called Ti.
4
The goddess Ajinblambia with grace
Had built the aerospace facility
Whence came the ship just launched towards outer space.
She was a lady of unmatched ability.
5
Eventually the blazes did subside.
The ship had vanished. All had settled down.
Then on the screen, irradiant with pride,
Appeared her lovely visage, golden brown.
6
Her shapely carmine mouth I knew so well
For having put her lipstick on her lips
Now over all the planet cast its spell,
As she described the journey of her ships.
7
A dress of scarlet linen I had sewn
Fit perfectly her gorgeous line and curve.
The deep vee neck permitting to be shown
Her cleavage, I’d designed with dainty verve.
8
About her neck a scarf of black silk crepe
Was knotted on the left, as I had taught,
And a thin sash did emphasize her shape
Within a tiny golden buckle caught.
9
All afternoon, she answered interviews
About Mezquaco, her titanic site,
Amid excitement at the latest news
Of Photon’s launching executed right.
10
Both engineers and physicists appeared
With Ajinblambia, who overshone
Them all. She was indeed to be revered,
A single lady guarding Udi’s throne.
11
This was her apogee, her dazzling noon,
The culmination of her brilliant fame.
The queendom’s boundaries, extended soon,
Would let be sounded near and far her name.
12
Coincidentally, anatomy
Had been performed by scanner, and a book
Had been composed by an academy,
An atlas whereupon the queen would look.
13
Here tomograms of organs, nerves and cells,
Enlarged and labelled, with companion text
That, commenting and annotating, tells
Her genius, are the evidence that’s next
14
To testify to her unrivalled mind.
In fact, just ere the space flight had been planned,
The atlas freshly bound, all sealed and signed
By Cocothrasp, was put into my hand.
15
Returning from the university,
I studied and reviewed the book a week,
Amazed at the untold diversity
Of Ajinblambia’s superb physique.
16
Queen Udi did peruse the atlas too,
Just at the time the mighty spaceship rose.
The volume and the launching—were they true?
Such marvels happened did she dare suppose?
17
“Incredible! Incredible!” she cried,
All full of awe and wonder she was filled.
Here eyes shed tears; her face was full of pride.
She seemed entranced, exhilarated, thrilled.
18
Next Vice Queen Ajinblambia herself
Appeared upon the threshold of the door
To Udi’s royal office. On a shelf
Queen Udi hid the book and read no more.
19
For Ajinblambia had not been told
A book on her anatomy was planned.
She didn’t know her secrets would unfold
Before the eyes of her of sceptered hand.
20
Came Ajinblambia, then Udi praised,
Rhapsodically exclaimed, “We are impressed
Indeed, astonished, overwhelmed, amazed.
Of all of Ung’s great glories, this is best!”
21
With her accustomed modesty and grace,
Now Ajinblambia, with blush and smile
Suffusing carmine o’er her perfect face,
Made little of her effort in the trial.
22
“I’ve only put to work old mysteries
Of science that have fallen in neglect,
Unearthed them from forgotten histories.
It’s not the marvel many do suspect.
23
However, were it not for your great heart
In granting the approval of the state,
It’s probable there would have been no start,
No empire of the planets to await.”
24
Continuing her gratitude, the Queen
Said, “Ajinblambia, let me confess,
In thinking, thinking, thinking of this scene
We now enact, and how best to express
25
My gratitude and pay my debt to you,
Requiting all the benefits bestowed
By you upon my realm, I feel it due
That I should make the palace your abode.
26
Surmounting with the sapphire crown of Ung
Your lovely head, repository rich
In wisdom, with its honeyed breath and tongue,
Resplendent with its tresses black as pitch.
27
I then would abdicate the ancient throne,
And seat you there instead, with mond in hand,
To rule and reign and monarchize alone
The queendom’s far-flung isles and boundless land.
28
If I propose, you will accept, I know.”
Queen Udi did conclude her little speech.
But Ajinblambia said, “No, no, no!
My wisdom and ability don’t reach.
29
Unto such heights I never did aspire.
You are the Queen I serve and I adore.
Within my heart I have no such desire.
My cup is full; why would I long for more?”
30
The Queen appeared dejected and morose,
As if a splendid prize she thought would whelm
Had been rejected, and what had been close
At hand, now lay afar, beyond her realm.
31
I too was shocked, astounded and confused,
For in the seven years that I had known
This Ajinblambia, I oft had mused
The crown was what she sought to make her own.
32
“The overladyship of Ung forsooth
Draws Ajinblambia headlong amain,
And has her coursing like a lynx in truth,
Pursuing the great prey she will attain,
33
Regardless of the measures and the means,”
I had soliloquized betimes of her,
“She will usurp the throne that is the Queen’s
And dress herself in royal ermine fur.”
34
Romantic overtures and kisses red,
And gifts of roses, evenings of champagne,
All that would lead her to the queenly bed,
In my mind’s eye, were obvious and plain
35
As just a stratagem, a clever ruse
To lead her up the steps of white brocade,
Embroidered as if by the threaden Muse,
Whereon Ung’s throne and banner are displayed.
36
I wondered what was next, but silence reigned.
An anxious silence reigned. The Queen looked hurt.
The features of her countenance looked pained.
To erstwhile plans she’d now have to revert.
37
Eventually, she smiled, and raised her eyes
More merrily and gaily than before,
And placed her dainty hands upon the thighs
Of Ajinblambia, to speak some more.
38
“Dear Ajinblambia,” the Queen suspired,
“If you will not be Queen, will you be King?”
“How King?” then Ajinblambia inquired.
“I’ve never heard of any suchlike thing,
39
For when a lady rules, they call her Queen.
Is that not so in this august domain,
As in the others I have haply seen
Where ladies over territories reign?”
40
“In truth, quite commonly, that is the case,
But this is Ung, the monarchy best known
Among the jigsawn realms upon the face
Of Nya, our planet, helter-skelter thrown.
41
Of Ungi, language of our famous realm,
As Queen, I rule the lexicography.
My sovran hand is firm upon the helm
Of all the seas of Nya’s geography.
42
I’m lady of the continents and isles,
The rivers and the oceans of this sphere,
The governess of acres and of miles.
So I define the words that all will hear.
43
A difference of perquisites and rights
Inheres in “King” and “Queen”, as nouns expressed.
I think the Ungi Dictionary cites
A number of examples that attest.
44
A case can so be made that sex alone
Does not explain the presence in our speech
Of these two words. We rightly thus condone
That unto kinghood may a lady reach.
45
But were this otherwise, I still might quash
A law forbidding women to be kings.
I could the slate of statutes simply wash
And on you fingers place the signet rings.”
46
Two volumes of our Dictionary lay
Upon the walnut desk the Queen presides,
Its pages lucid with the light of day
The checkerboard of windowpanes provides.
47
So Ajinblambia, in linen red,
In scarf of crepe and off-black stockings clad,
Stepped sideways, leaning down her gorgeous head
To read the definitions Udi had.
48
“Quite true it is that Kings and Queens enjoy
Distinct prerogatives and diff’rent roles,
Have varied options that they may employ.
It isn’t merely they’re a magnet’s poles
49
Held diametrically apart by sex.
I see you have a point, Your Highness dear.
The office of Regina and of Rex
Are dignities dissimilar. I fear
50
Your Majesty’s opinion is correct,
Or largely so, I modestly confess.
But sex, however slightly, does affect
The meanings the words ‘King’ and ‘Queen’ express.”
51
Queen Udi graciously admitted that,
In bygone times, just women had been Queens
And men alone as Kings on thrones had sat.
There’d been no opposites or in-betweens.
52
But she could see no reason to maintain
Traditions that of ritual were born,
Now that a nova shone above our plain
And Dyo, our Sun, illumined a new morn.
53
“At any rate, what do you have in mind—
That you renounce the throne, and I ascend,
But as a King, the throne you’ve left behind,
While you your way as commoner do wend?
54
It is the selfsame thing. You’ve changed a noun,
But elsewise everything is all the same.
You sacrifice to me your earned renown
And hand to me the honors due your name.
55
If that be what you are devising now,
I fear that I must utterly decline,
No party will I be, so do I vow,
To your unthroning, royal Queen of mine.
56
Moreover, you did state, I understand,
That, if a law existed to prevent
A woman’s kingship, you could countermand
That statute, overruling its intent.
57
Why have a law if all you have to do
In order to ignore it is repeal
Particulars that legislators drew
And whereupon they placed the Ungi seal?”
58
Queen Udi answered quickly to this point,
“Quite simply for that Parliament foresaw
No goddess we would as our King anoint,
Shall we obey quite senselessly their law?
59
I do not think that I shall have to void
A duly prómulgated statute, though.
A legion of attorneys I’ve employed
Can justify a woman King, I know.
60
So we’ve no let or hindrance to prevent
Us from this great enthronement I have planned.
As for the other thing you spoke anent,
I think you haply did misunderstand.
61
Whenas I proffered that you be the King,
I didn’t mean that you would be the Queen
In truth, the King in name alone. This thing
Is not at all the thing that I did mean.
62
My meaning was that you ascend the throne
As King while I remain the Queen, unchanged.
Together will our robes of state be sewn.
Together will our fortunes be arranged.”
63
Now Ajinblambia blushed purple. Down
She cast her gaze. So, lovely plummy hues
Empurpled plumpish cheeks of walnut brown
When she had listened to these latest news.
64
She knew that Udi meant they’d rule the realm
Together as the King and Queen, of course,
With Ajinblambia behind the helm,
Enjoying Ung’s unconquerable force.
65
She scarcely could believe what she had heard,
I saw that she was rapturous, enthralled,
Rejoiceful and delighted at this word,
As if the syrinx of the sky had called.
66
Apparent was it though that she was shy,
Perhaps a little bashful, somewhat coy.
If I should guess the rhyme and reason why:
She felt she was a girl, and not a boy.
67
But she misunderstood the queenly mind.
It was her very bosom and her hips,
Her flawless skin, her visage sweet and kind,
The fullness and the richness of her lips,
68
The heavenly proportions of her form,
Her transcendental loveliness and grace,
Her soft soprano voice, her manner warm,
And all the magic beauty of her face
69
That Udi did adore and adulate.
It was the wondrous woman that she was
That Udi loved and would congratulate,
If she would govern as a monarch does.
70
Embarrassed ecstasy suffused her face
It seemed to me, as Majesty unveiled
Her vision. But the taller lady's grace
Enabled her to hide it, as if veiled.
71
Then thoughtful Ajinblambia replied,
"Assuming that there is no barring law,
Or if there is, you set it quite aside,
With valid argument that it foresaw
72
No lady who could monarchize the land
As fitly as you think that I can rule,
Supposing too I have the orb in hand
And prove to be a madcap or a fool
73
In matters royal, quite the blunderer,
So, having sworn to govern till I die,