Fearless

The brave heart and her friend gave a valiant fight...

But the brutes were prepared in the dark of the night...

As she slipped to unnatural death, a nation was awake...

Resolving to put to the beasts to the hangman’s snake!

The fearless was resurrected as did indignation...

The streets represented the anger of the nation!

Determination rent the air to protest the brutal kill...

Young and old faced water cannons, cold and chill!

The emotion of fearlessness was deep and true...

But time is a healer, as the pressure went askew!

Now years later, the emotion comes back to haunt

As a culprit leaps a loophole to his freedom jaunt!

The fearless resurrect again as does indignation...

The voices are raised as angry again is the nation!

Some voices are from my zone, then and now again

But things seem to change as nearer gets a cry of pain!

Again another innocent is crushed by brutalisation

But this time it is nearer home in a closer situation!

The fearless are changing masks... and changing how

Some have turned fearful and some turned mute now!

For the culprit was wearing a dignified drape

He was one of us... how could he ever rape?

That silly girl must have asked for it for sure

And now she plays prey to victimize the teacher!

Then the fearless had put together a valiant fight

Now so many are choosing the option of flight!

Some flee to obscurity in the indifference wavelength

As others mobilise mobs to show their violent strength!

Fearless are the ones, who are steady in every zone,

Who resist the wrong even in the confines of the home.

Fearless are the ones who do not play dead while alive

Fearless are the ones who do not play selectively naive!

Choose to be fearless in intent, action and spoken words

Choose to stand up above the indifferent or collusive herds

May the fearless resurrect again with fiery indignation...

To bring the brutes to heel... with greater determination!

- Pravin K. Sabnis
(written in context of the brutal sexual assault in Delhi, three years ago... and a recent one closer home where the brutalisation of a school girl is being met with indifference or threatening mobs)