THE LIGHT WE LEAVE BEHIND

Give me your hand.

We do not need to know

where the road will end.

There are wounds without scars,

silences hidden behind smiles,

and hearts that forget

how to ask for light.

Stay close.

Sometimes presence alone

is a form of love.

A hand can become a bridge,

a word can become a shelter,

a small kindness

can travel farther than we know.

Nothing given with love disappears.

It takes root quietly

in the heart of another

and waits for its season to shine.

So, when you meet tired eyes,

do not turn away.

Be the light

you once needed yourself.

Give me your hand.

Not to walk ahead,

not to arrive first,

but to arrive together.

Leaving no one behind.

Menda Vreto is an Albanian writer who lives and creates in Italy. She is the author of several books published in Italian, and her works have been translated into several languages internationally. She regularly collaborates with both online and print magazines, where she publishes literary articles and essays. Her work has received significant recognition. Among her achievements is the Special Jury Award in the literary competition Il Silenzio Uccide (Silence Kills), where her work was featured prominently in the anthology. Her first book also attracted the attention of the prestigious magazine Marie Claire, which featured her extensively, recognizing both her work and her journey as an author. Menda Vreto proudly bears the surname Vreto, a name connected to the distinguished figure of the Albanian National Renaissance, Jani Vreto. She considers this family name a legacy of profound cultural and historical significance.

I’M AFRAID OF LOVE

No, I don’t like mornings that awaken me

with a tear in my eye.

I don’t like vanity that poisons the soul,

nor a heart filled with sorrow and pain,

a pain that breaks the sighs,

that breaks everything

that was once beautiful.

It turns all the beauty of living

into the darkness of night.

A colorful rose,

just beginning to bloom,

is broken by the wind,

its crown shattered in blossom

just as it begins to form.

I don’t like

that I have become a face with many faces,

hiding my sorrow

behind a mask of smiles.

I exchanged the beauty

of awakening mornings

for the darkness of twilight.

I became my own marionette,

with strings in my hands,

strings of different colors.

I weave them

into the colors of my face

according to my needs.

And yet,

if only I could bring back

the old me,

place her once again

upon the pedestal of truth,

not lies…

Because a mask itself is a lie

that hides the truth.

If only I could

love again—

I’m afraid of love.

I’m afraid of the night

that brings pain with it.

I’m afraid of dying once again.

I’m afraid of a kiss,

afraid that it might intoxicate me.

Because I would sink

into a delirium

with no way back.

Katica Protić, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Katica Protić is a Croatian poet and prose writer from Dubrovnik. She is a mother of three and a retired former director of a private company. She has been writing poetry and prose since her early youth. Her literary work is deeply rooted in emotion, human experience, love, pain, and the beauty of life. She has published two independent poetry collections, Maybe We Met in Our Dreams and Love, Pain, Sea and Salt.

Her poetry has been featured in more than 100 joint anthologies, with her work represented by anywhere from one to thirty poems in individual collections. She has received approximately 40 certificates of appreciation, commendations, diplomas, and awards, including bronze and gold medals. Among her notable achievements are three consecutive first-place awards in literary competitions in Australia. Her poems have been published internationally, reaching readers and literary publications from Australia to India and the United States. Her prose has also received recognition, with awards in Croatia, the United States, and Australia. Through her poetry and prose, Katica Protić continues to share her personal vision of life, love, human resilience, and the world around her, carrying the voice of a woman whose words are shaped by both experience and emotion.

INCOGNITO

Only my woolen garb,

No silk, no velvet anymore.

A banished princess.

No glitz, genuine to the core.

Dazzling diamonds

Forlorn.

Identity card torn.

The abyss of incognito,

A wise dish.

A clumsy descent,

A firm wish.

My bumpy skin,

Coarse as the desert sand.

A bold challenge to the milky trend.

Hardships, Destitution, swirling gloom,

The advent of the persona’s doom.

While the treacherous sun sleeps in clandestinity,

I cross the threshold of eternity.

The towering crowd denies my existence.

Yet, I am dead set

To claim subsistence.

Shah Jehan Begum Ashrafi was born in U.P., India, and grew up in Mauritius. She studied English and French literature at the University of Mauritius. After completing her postgraduate degree in education at the Mauritius Institute of Education, she taught English, French, and literature in various secondary schools. She wrote several plays for the National Drama Festival in Mauritius. Her first published work is a study guide to Arthur Miller’s play ‘All My Sons’. Writing poetry is her passion, and she is also working on a novel and some short stories. She was on the editing panel of Rajeshwari Chauhan’s novel ‘Daniel’s Diary’. Now the author lives in Canada and wishes to take up other jobs and widen her experience and knowledge. Shah Jehan Ashrafi completed her Master’s degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Montreal.

WATER

For a breath of air 

Struggles Water.

An altar of magic

Of Mother Earth.

It speaks differently.

It`s excited with the wind.

It thirsts for love.

And Goodness.

It can purify

Man and All.

And a small drop

Changes the World.

From the geyser gushing

To the white glacier

Water sacred

Go with Love.

Water is our

Passionate body.

And as a gift it accepts

In an instant the thought.

It skillfully heals

The boundless Whole.

And tenderly loves.

It loves the World.

Dr HC Rozalia Aleksandrova lives in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. She was born in the magical Rhodope Mountains, the cradle of Orpheus. Author of 12 poetry books. Editor and compiler of over 40 literary almanacs, collections and anthologies. She is a member of the Union of Bulgarian Writers. 

Her poems were translated into many languages: Polish, English, Arabic, Spanish, Danish, Korean, Serbian, Italian, Albanian, Persian, French, Chinese, Romanian, Azerbaijani, Greek, Turkish, Bangla, Hebrew, Duch, Bengali, Russian. Her poems have been published in prestigious collections, almanacs, literary magazines and websites in Bulgaria, Europe and world. In March 2006 she created a poetic-intellectual association “Quantum and Friends” for the promotion of quantum poetry in civil society, Plovdiv and Bulgarian phenomenon. Initiator and chief organizer of the International Festival of Poetry SPIRITUALITY WITHOUT BORDERS from 2015. Every year she publishes one almanac for a Festival.

She is Doctor Honoris Causa of University UNQE – Mexico and member of the Federation of World Leadership and Hi Intelligence, representing Bulgaria. She is in Director`s board of Belgium literary site Atunis Poetry. She is ambassador for East Europe of Prodigy magazine, USA. She is honorary member of WFAI.  She is a winner of the prestigious CESAR VALLEJO Prize for Literature – 2022, 2023 and prize of UHE – Golden Eagle – for Poetry and Peace 2023, 2025.Winner of the Mahatma Gandhi Leadership Award 2022 and others. She was literary advisor in Central Chinese TV from 2023. She is literary consultant of IAETDAA – 2025, USA. She is literary advisor for Bulgaria of PLWV. She was awarded as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for 2025 by the Egyptian magazine Al-Rowad.

Apart from being a poetesse, she is also a scientist. She deals with the study and reflections of quantum and torsion physics in the field of language, poetry, culture, medicine, philosophy and methodology of science. She has published a book with popular science essays “Let’s open the door to the meaning or reflections of information science“, Plovdiv 2015 and new book “The Wonders of the Poetry”, Plovdiv 2025. 

Dreaming, maybe living?

Life is like a cycle

like a circle

somewhere we die and

somewhere we grow

again

every day a new day is

different and with us

renewed

it is never the same

it is cyclical

reincarnation

every day

we new in the old world

live from beginning

to end

and then all over again

in a circle into the vortex of the world

after a dream that is over

into a new dream with

open eyes.

Tanja Ajtic was born in Belgrade, Serbia. She lived and studied in Serbia. She is a poet and writer but she is also an artist. She also deals with fine graphics. Since 2002, she lives and creates in Canada. Moved to Belgrade, Serbia 2023. Tanja Ajtic is a member of many groups and associations. In Serbia, she is a member of the prestigious Society of Writers of Belgrade. Her poems and stories have been published two hundred collections (books), anthologies and electronic books. Her poems have been published in twelve languages. She published her book ;Outlines of Love. She participated with books and anthologies at many fairs in the world with other authors. In 2024 and 2025, Ajtic collaborated with Indian poet Sourav Sarkar on two joint poetry collections that present two works by the poet in one book. – She won second prize in Great Britain from the Serbian Library in London (2019). – She won III World Prize for Excellence ;Cesar Vallejo; 2021 in the category of artistic excellence Lima, Peru, by the World Spanish Union of Writers and International Award of Excellence; from the World Spanish Union of Writers, UHE Mexico. –

She won the I International Award of Excellence Cita Del Glateo Antonio De Ferrariis, IX edition 2022 – Rome, Italy, a prestigious award in the group of poets for the English language (IX edition of the award for foreign poetry in English) in 2022, Rome, Italy. – Winners of Foundation Naji Naaman literary prize iz 2023; (21 st Edition), from the Republic of Lebanon, Honor Prize (for complete work) for Literary prizes 2023. Poetry for the competition was submitted in three languages: English, French and Arabic. – Winning the 2023 “Zheng Nian Cup” Literary Award – Third Prize by the Beijing Mindfulness Literature Museum, China. – Winning Third Prize, Friedrich Schiller International Literary Competition (2025). She is the winner of many awards, diplomas and certificate. She is currently writing poetry, short stories, haiku, Gogyoshi poetry as well as graphics artist as a freelance artist.

WHILE DIE

While born human sound

While die silent

While living

Sometimes sound

Sometimes silent 

Sometimes becomes happy

Sometimes grieves

Sometimes stops

Sometimes moves

Sometimes loving

Sometimes mercy 

As a result 

Who is human 

While him die, him becomes definite

Or falls 

Or rises.

Türkan Ergör, Sociologist, Philosopher, Writer, Poet, Art Photography Model. Türkan Ergör was born 19 March 1975 in the city of Çanakkale, Türkiye. She was selected International “Best Poet 2020”. She was selected International “Best Poet, Author/Writer 2021”. She was selected International “Best Poet, Writer/Author 2022”. She was awarded the FIRST PRIZE FOR THE OUTSTANDING AUTHOR IN 2022. She was awarded the 2023 “Zheng Nian Cup” “National Literary First Prize” by Beijing Awareness Literature Museum. She was awarded the “Certificate of Honor and Appreciation” and “Crimean Badge” by İSMAİL GASPRİNSKİY SCIENCE AND ART ACADEMY. She was awarded the “14k Gold Pen Award” by ESCRITORES SIN FRONTERAS ORGANIZACIÓN INTERNACIONAL.

Metamorphosis of change

Is it a myth, a legend, or a fact?

Charles Darwin has a theory 

That humans evolved from monkeys.

It has been through years of evolution.

The girl grew up to be a mother, the boy to be a father

The mother became a grandmother, the father to be a grandfather

Lived and passed away from the world

Hey, the world that was empty is filled again.

Once illiterate, unable to write,

As the months and years passed, they became scholars.

Dreams galloped like horses on the roads

They built nests for themselves everywhere.

People who looked at birds with envy

Discovery and rocket flew into space

The boundaries of science are branching out.

Fireworks have scattered, scattered everywhere.

The universe is full of miracles,

Now we wake up with innovations

Although human intelligence is constantly changing,

Don’t forget that the World has a Creator!

Elmaya Jabbarova was born in Azerbaijan. She is a poet, writer, and translator. Her poems from 2019 to date were published in regional and foreign newspapers, magazines, books, webpages, and anthologies. She has been awarded many certificates, diplomas, and medals. She is the department manager of Hekari, a newspaper of Azerbaijan. She is an honorary member of the Writers of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan World Association of People’s Creators, and an Honorary member of the International Academy of Literature, Art, Culture and Social Sciences of Uzbekistan. She is an Academic Appointed Coordinator, Secretary General of Azerbaijan, Argentina. She is presented in the book Famous Personalities MultiArt – 5, Argentina. She was a member of the World Poetic Fraternity. She was awarded the title of Global Poet of 2023; 2024. She was awarded the title of World Poet Laureate from Azerbaijan as one of 55 poets selected by Pentasi B Friendship Poetry for 2025.