His eyes saw what others missed,

so he picked up the lens to show the crowd ,

the naked truth that many tend to avoid,

the stark reality that may look ugly & sad.

He had a soulmate that clicked & shot,

pictures that spoke more than words , a lot,

he had befriended fear and always put in his best,

travelled across many lands without a pause & rest.

From earthquakes to the plight of refugees,

from the reality of protests to the ugly pictures of riots,

his camera brought in tears covering the pandemic stories ,

he was one among many to win the ‘elite’ of all the prizes.

He rests in peace today, without hearing any of the accusations,

living behind a family who at least deserve to mourn in silence,

but we will never understand that it is not wise to cross boundaries,

for ‘hate slogan’ is the new fad & mudslinging is the new way of celebration !

Love,

Chinmayee