LOVE STORY UNFOLDS AT THE RIVER LIDDER

Yesterday I again dreamt I was in Kashmir at the banks of the river Lidder.

Pacing one step hither and two steps thither

Intrigued by the wavelets that rippled and roared.

My mind slack, merrily I strolled.

 Drowning the distant sound of a gun

Gilded by the rays of the setting sun

A solitary, snow white cloudlet looked down upon me

 Cruising along in a mood cheerful and free.

 Slowly, its black wings the warm night spread

 With cautious tread, the stars overhead

Came out of hiding

And the moon came riding

Majestically on the back of a cloud

Like an emperor proud.

The night took the river in an embrace tight

 With voyeuristic curiosity, the stars were alight.

 In a frenzy of excitement, each other the waves pounded

 The trees were momentarily dumbfounded

 Out of the night’s embrace sheepishly the river tried to wriggle

And the naughty wavelets tried to smother many a giggle.

But soon the trees recovered their loquacity

 Sloughing and rustling ditty after love laced ditty

Under the eye of the moon faced monarch

Sparkled the absolutely bewitched etchings on the Pine bark.

Snugly engraved within a heart pierced with arrows, in strokes bold

 A sublime love story they retold, as on-wards I strolled.

  The music of love the wind belted out

Love never dies; this was their music all about.

The stars winked and whispered, the waves made catcalls

 Burying many a hatchet, nipping incipient brawls

The triple alliance of the stars, waves and trees

From my troubled forehead removed many a crease.

The river snuggled in the arms of the night

 Splashing and murmuring, its passion at its height

Whispering sweet nothings under dark, undulating covers

Breathing nothing but love, snugly cuddled the passionate lovers.

And as I dreamt on, the trinity cheered on this love story

Removing the trails of another  story, alas, so gory.