you

rain against the window pane
whispers vaguely familiar songs
and sweet, fond memories flash back
of you and me, sitting together
huddled in front of the wired heater
fanning wafts of hot air in our faces
flushed with old monk and coke
orange-hued fried battered fish
stared back at us from oil-stained newspaper
together with mint-chutney, laced with blood-curdling
unbearably hot, yet unavoidable green chillies
the warmth of indoors disappeared
the instant we stepped out
in the frosted december night
those lovely walks on
the deserted tar road in corbett
between dhikala and bijrani…
those silly moments of lying down
on the dry, cold road carrying tyre-prints
of infinite vehicles that thundered along
and the possibility of having your back against
a spot where a beautiful, serene wild thing
may have crossed the road for a thirst-quenching
gulp of water from ravishingly charming,
kosi flowing deceptively innocuously
between pebbles smoothened by centuries of
caresses by nature’s wet hands…
those memories of our time together
are tattooed in my heart immortally
and will always be there for me to cherish,
just as you, my love, i hope, i pray
stay beside me till my last breath.