Poetry from Cherise Barasch

Legs and brown workboots of a man digging into red soil on a sunny day next to yellow shovels.

PEOPLE EARTH

I watch them from my living room window

The thermometer reads 96 degrees, in the shade

They work in teams, pulling orange cables from one hole to the next.

My eye catches one head of thick, black hair,

poking up through my lawn.

Surrounded by a mound of red, clay earth, with shovel in hand, he emerges from the depths of the South Carolina clay. 

They are the same hue of red, the earth and he.

They are as one, in the heat of the blistering sun

Exposed, thirsty, scorched, relentless in their work.

One goes in the hole, the next emerges with a length of orange cable in hand.

The next enters another portal, followed by the next, it goes on, in an unnatural pattern, for as far as I can see.

Men of the earth, covered in clay, digging into the mother, on a hot, summer’s day.

Their sweat, mixed with the clay earth, has changed the color of their shirts from white to a blood stained red. 

He removes his sombrero, wipes his brow.

And awaits the arrival of his mid day meal.

A Suburban pulls up to a group of a dozen or so earth-painted, people.

Salutations are exchanged in Spanish, some hugs, a few kisses, and lots of smiling faces embrace the arrival of la comida.

Hot, homemade, food is distributed from coolers, by the hands of grateful, gracious, brave and courageous women. 

Back to the earth, for back breaking digging.

Into the mother to earn a living.

These are the earth people, the ones who know that the only way to reach the other side…is to go through.

Poetry from Vo Thi Nhu Mai

East Asian young woman with long dark hair, colorful floral dress, and purse and lanyard standing in front of a wall with "Advancing Effective Education" printed on it.

IT’S JUST THE WIND

The wind possesses a sentimental soul

A sincere and soft heart to adore the trees

Passionately in love, maybe not yet, how can the wind know?

When in the middle of chaos

There are many mountain tops it has to blow

The wind wonders why we live on the same earth

When the trees and the wind colour the afternoon of dating

Why humans observe discreetly each other’s wounds

The trees pretend not to know the wind

The trees pretend not to love

Not to have a fond remembrance, not to be jealous

They let the wind pass by

Like an apricot branch that never blooms

Like a romantic couple

Never passing this town on a bike

Happiness streaking through them like a comet

They couldn’t stop laughing

And by a cafe she drank two cups of lemon juice

Not sure if the trees have to pretend not to love anyone else

For the afternoon leaning, a few drops of sunlight scattering

For the unsteady sea forgetting its quiet sail

For the humans with the same blood colour

Keep doubting each other and forming opposite sides

The wind wishes

There are no wars on earth

The trees are not neglected

And the stormy seasons

Have not caused misunderstanding between them

So that when the wind passing by

The trees would feel

Love is so affectionate, trustworthy and cherishing

So that when the wind passing by

We would love our earth a lot more

The wind blames the trees just a little bit

Then it would be back to its chaotic journey

Then it would surf this planet

That is filled with colourful happy and sad stories


IT’S JUST THE WIND was born from a reflection on the affections between beings, whether trees and wind, or people with one another. I imagined the wind is a force of nature and a soul with longing, tenderness, and a wish for peace. Through metaphor, this poem seeks to speak gently to the human condition: our hesitations, our masks, and our shared yearning for connection in a divided world. The wind becomes a witness, sometimes brushed aside, sometimes misunderstood, but always carrying the hope that love can be felt openly and that harmony, like wind through branches, might one day move through us all. (Vo Thi Nhu Mai)

Võ Thị Như Mai is a Vietnamese writer, poet, and translator based in Western Australia. She has published four poetry collections in Vietnamese and numerous translated works both in Vietnam and abroad. A senior specialist teacher and cultural advocate, Mai also hosts a literary podcast and contributes essays on multicultural literature. Her long-running website, vietnampoetry.wordpress.com, has showcased Vietnamese poetry and translation for over 15 years.

Poetry from Chimezie Ihekuna

Chimezie Ihekuna (Mr. Ben) Young Black man in a collared shirt and jeans resting his head on his hand. He's standing outside a building under an overhang.
Chimezie Ihekuna

IF:

WAR is best served RAW,

The LIVE appearance of the world is EVIL,

“To have WON” is only appreciated in the NOW,

a RAM is the grass’ MAR,

MALI has the same energy state as LIMA,

a WOLF can keep up with its activity FLOW,

LAUD really share similar characters with DUAL,

a BAT can keep a TAB on its prey,

moving through the RAIL of life would make me a LIAR,

my ‘i WAS’ actually referred to my ‘i SAW’,

dinosaurs ARE existing in our ERA,

a MUG could only be made out of a GUM,

a certain PAT can TAP into the potentials of his subordinates,

a PART of crime is a TRAP over innocence,

YAM can fully be harvested in the month of MAY,

one could ZAP available energies in la-PAZ,

the tip of an abyss is a sub-set of the bottom-less PIT,

RAGE could reach its GEAR of destruction,

in a POOL of water lies its LOOP of ripples

one could RAP her way to be at PAR with the opulent,

OPRAH, don’t you think we need to inform HARPO about these?

The Love For Humanity: The Hatred For War

The death of innocent souls in wars

makes matter worse

Why should the mighty push for such human disaster

over a trivial matter?

When a nation of great strength wages war

against ‘a lesser’ that once shared territorial grounds more,

It creates unhealthy concerns for the rest of the world

as the loss of lives and property would become seriously odd

Experimenting with bio weapons 

at the expense of innocent lives in those nations

Is stretching humanity beyond its threshold of peace

to the point of embracing the purpose of unease

What is the gain of disturbing peaceful coexistence

If not witnessing the pain of disturbance?

Let the powers that be give a second thought to their action;

for the future would assert the reaction

Humanity craves for rest of its rest

So, it would be unpalatable to disturb that crest

Truth be told,

Regardless of who seem to be at fault,

War should not be what is to be looked as fought

There is always a ground of reconciliation

an understanding of co-operation,

a place for dialogue,

a method of taking out lingering backlogs,

an eventual resolving of differences,

a viable approach to avoid in future sitting on defense,

The love of mankind is paramount

So, war must be in a state of surmount!

Poetry from Priyanka Neogi

Young South Asian woman with long thick dark hair, a pink knit cap, and a red top, in front of a pink curtain.

Emphases

The rain breaks the dam, playing the monsoon,

Cold “Increases the cold winter wave”,

In the afternoon, when the sun goes down, the evening comes down.

Life comes in the chariot of praise, and the garbage of the dark also comes.

If the catastrophe is a little overwhelming to stop, to show,

Be stopped, however

Greater

Roses to developed in the mind,

There will be a lot of attention,

If the fear is to show fear, the fear will escape,

The language of the gentleness does not understand that showing it to him.

Short biography: Amb. Dr.Priyanka Neogi from Coochbehar. She is an administrative Controller of United Nations PAF, librarian, CEO of Lio Messi International Property & land Consultancy, international literacy worker, sports & peace promoter, dancer, singer, reciter, live telecaster, writer, editor, researcher, Literary journalist, host, beauty queen, international Co-ordinator of Vijay Mission of Community Welfare Foundation of India.

Poetry from Munisa Ro’ziboyeva

Young Central Asian woman in a gray headscarf, white striped top, brown hair, and brown eyes, seated in a classroom with desks and some posters on the wall.

Mother

My eyes are pearls without you,

My heart is lost without your view.

In the dark, you’re my guiding light,

Without you, nothing feels right.

Though I may be ill or insane,

You ease my sorrow, soothe my pain.

You are the joy within my soul,

The missing piece that makes me whole.

Heart to heart, we’re intertwined,

A sea of love, an angel kind.

My soul’s springtime, you alone

Dear Mother, you’re my peaceful home.

Munisa Ro’ziboyeva was born on March 14, 2008, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. She is currently studying in a finance-focused class and has a strong passion for languages and global affairs. Munisa holds an IELTS certificate with a score of 6.0 and has actively participated in Model United Nations conferences. Her writing has been featured in several international publications, and she was recently awarded a 100% scholarship to pursue her studies in the United States.

Essay from Xo’jamiyorova Gulmira Abdusalomovna

Young Central Asian woman in a long black and white patterned coat and white top, long dark hair. She's in front of a flag and a photo of a man in a black coat and red tie.

Poet’s Heart

No matter how much a poet writes,
Their words never end.
In this world, never ever,
Will the poet’s name die!

There are many professions, skilled individuals, and people with honorable titles in the world — and no matter how much we praise them, it seems not enough. Yet, there are such people in our lives whose hearts are constantly filled with passionate emotions, love, and divine feelings at every moment. They always look at existence through the eyes of the heart and express their unique and subtle feelings through the pen. Are you wondering who we are talking about? Of course — poets!

A poet. This is not just a title. Behind it lies a world of inner storms, emotional uprisings of the soul. As one of the great literary figures of the past century, Erkin Vohidov, once said:

A poet’s heart is like a pomegranate,
Its juice is their poetry.
Those of the poetic path
Have no mercy for their own heart.

Indeed, a poet’s heart is like a pomegranate. And their poem is the juice. Just as the tiny seeds of a pomegranate are crushed to produce its juice, so too the deepest feelings, emotions, sorrows and joys, hopes and dreams hidden within the poet’s heart are awakened. Like the scattered pomegranate seeds, the poet’s thoughts and reflections come together and bring about a spiritual stir in the heart, which results in the beautiful, divine lines we call poetry.

During the creation of a poem, there is no emotion left untouched in the poet’s heart. That’s why we say: a poet shows no mercy to their own soul. Poetry is a literary form that reflects all the feelings, impressions, and thoughts that occur in the human mind and heart.

The poetess Zulfiya defined poetry as follows:
“Poetry is the fruit of emotions, impressions taken from life, and reflections…”

A poem does not appear out of nowhere. Only true poets can create it. Merely rhyming two words or lines is not a sign of being a poet. A real poet’s heart contains loyalty to their homeland, love for their country, all living beings, and the Creator. It is these emotions of loyalty and love that inspire them to write poetry.

A poet finds joy, inspiration, and delight in every event. For example, some find inspiration in the quiet of golden autumn, in the gentle whispering of the trees, the rustle of falling leaves, or the pattern of rain. Others find inspiration in the soft call to prayer, the cry of an infant, the fleeting nature of this world, the worries and hardships of life. Their thoughts and desires give them no rest, not even for a second.

That is why one poem can fill our hearts with joy and pride, while another can immerse us in thought, connecting us with the pain of others. A true poet is someone whose heart overflows with patriotism, justice, humanity, goodness, courage, and bravery.

Such noble qualities are embodied in the poet Nazrul Islam. In Erkin Vohidov’s poem “Rebellion of Souls”, Nazrul is portrayed as a devoted poet who radiates light through his gaze, looks at the universe with a sense of wonder, and uplifts humanity with a sense of justice. From birth to death, he lives for his people, his nation, and never fears speaking the truth.

Even at the cost of his own life, he calls on all mankind to seek justice, truth, and human values. Yet, the masses see his actions as rebellious and imprison him.

The following lines from the poem express the true nature of a real poet:

If you are a poet,
Let your heart be ready
To be sacrificed for your people.
If you are a poet,
Let your people
Be your shield.

Over time, Nazrul Islam departs from this world, but his spirit lives on. The people make his golden words their guiding slogan.

At the end of the poem, Erkin Vohidov writes that Nazrul Islam’s spirit gave him no peace. The spirit of the character says to the poet:

Being a poet is like
A bleeding wound in the heart.
I do not wish for you, young one,
A peaceful life,
Or comfort.
Do not rest,
As long as you live.
Let inspiration bring you pain,
Be ill with poetry’s ache.

These lines awaken feelings of pride, bravery, and courage in today’s young writers. Through them, the poet’s spirit urges Erkin Vohidov not to write about fleeting pleasures or superficial beauty, but instead to live with the struggles of the people, the worries of his time, and to take poetry seriously.

Let’s refer to another work. In Abdulla Oripov’s “The Road to Paradise”, the central figure is a young man who was a poet in his lifetime. He wrote inspiring poems, was a good son to his parents, and harmed no one. He dies while trying to save a drowning girl during a flood. In the afterlife, he stands before the Balance Keeper who measures sins and virtues. The young man, hopeful that he may enter paradise, is surprised to find his good deeds weigh less than his sins.

He asks to see his greatest sin. The Balance Keeper shows him the burning souls of envious, dark-hearted people in hell. The point is that although the young man was given divine talent and a sharp pen, he used it only to describe mountains, nature, and romantic imagery, rather than to expose society’s evils or prevent wrongdoing.

This leads us to Abdulla Oripov’s profound words:
“A poet cannot isolate themselves in their own little world and write — they are connected through countless threads to the complex, conflicted, and heated life around them. Thus, they must live with the concerns, pain, and passions of their era…”

One of his quatrains also captures this well:

Don’t say a poet runs everywhere,
Neglecting the world’s burden.
They carry a mountain on their back,
Yet walk lightly like a bird.

Only when a poet takes on the burden of that mountain — not only their personal troubles, but also the problems of society — can they truly be called a poet.

In conclusion, today’s young writers must first and foremost possess patriotism, loyalty to the homeland, and a sense of humanity. For generations, our ancestors have passed down works that emphasize such noble qualities. Even knowing that writing them could risk their lives, they never feared spreading goodness and light.

Therefore, the writings and poems of today’s young authors must also become true weapons of goodness and patriotism for future generations.


Author: Xo‘jamiyorova Gulmira Abdusalomovna
Born on June 25, 2004, in Surkhandarya region. While studying at Secondary School No. 22 in Uzun district, she actively participated in Uzbek language and literature Olympiads and earned honorable places. In 2022, she was admitted on a state grant to the Termez State Pedagogical Institute. She is a graduate of Shine Girls Academy and the “Formula of Success” course, and a member of Kazakhstan’s “Qo‘sh Qanot” Union of Writers and Poets. Many of her scientific and promotional articles and authored poems have been published in international newspapers, journals, and collections, and she holds several international certificates.