Napowrimo 13 April 13 The day I stole Santosh Bakaya away ( "Unbeknownst to her she was stolen, and how")

I have met them at the close of day
coming home from their work
looking tired, and wanted to say
Hey, lovelies, look at me

and put a smile on your face
You look enchanting e'en more
When tired at the end of the day
or sprouting at the gates

like forlorn, desolate lilies
waiting for the husband, daughter or son
to come back to make life less dull
and bring in some end-of-day cheer

I had stolen many of their hearts
I had stolen a Malayalam textbook
I had stolen my father's stamp album once
I am quite an accomplished thief

But all agree on such a dismal, dark day
I stole Santosh Bakaya away
to the Lidder to live in two small white cottages or tents
for we had two novels to write and then read

out to each other
on the banks of the river Lidder
I stole her off all the way to Kashmir
Where Father Time, fairyland-like, stands still

I stole her - unbeknownst to her - quite away
I stole her clean away
I stole her clear away
I stole her, soft and quick, away

The temperature might have dropped in the mouth
of the instrument that measured it that day
But not a care had I in the world
as I had stolen Santosh away

All the way to the Lidder
to read her novel, and write
mine and read it to her
in wit, humour and dazzling wordplay

It was winter when we got there
spring went by and summer
and then came autumn
and we were still

scribbling madly away
For when two mad people start writing
they never stop for a day
and the pages keep up piling

and the novels getting longer
day by night by day
night by day by night
day by night by day

We may never finish these novels
but we read it out each day
at the end of it to each other
on the banks of the Lidder, I say!

I have hardly seen her since here
except when we emerge
each evening to read them out
our novels and then retreat

I have met them at the close of day
My characters and her characters
Willy-nilly, mixing and talking
at the end of each such day!

By the side of the river
with the backdrop of lush green mountains
under clear blue skies
with the sounds of the rushing foaming swirling white waters

In a place called Pahalgam
in Jammu and Kashmir
where the peace is unbroken
in a 'novel' lockdown.

They come out from two small white cottages or tents
and dance in the pale moonlight
with the devil or without him;
her characters and mine.