Image courtesy Pixabay
the valley of forgetting
it’s only august
but no shikara
can cut through the ice
that has gripped the dal lake
have you seen
the water of jhelum
as it turns into a reflection
of flaming chinar leaves?
pass me the kahwa
and suddenly
there’s hardly any news
from the valley
there are seasons in history
when kashmir takes a break
from our public memory
unlike it’s tourist season
which goes on, forever
a holiday every season
on the piece of land
that we carry in our heads
bereft of all its people
