CRONOS AND LA FLACA DANCING DANZON

She elegant,

The nervous, sober, older,

She smiling,

The eager, wise, actor,

And the ticking, endless between the two.

That ticking never stops

Dance to the rhythm of the danzón

So full of mischief

In ornament and transition,

He loses her in his fine steps

Conquer with your attitude

Taking the waist

With cadence and neatness,

She shows her blush

The more he wants to continue dancing,

She already forgets her duties, entangled in flourishes,

Has succumbed to his charm,

And meanwhile to the jarochos, if they are on the boardwalk,

Life and time are a gift!

Dead poet

The famous poet 

died and left his manuscripts 

to his wife and publisher. 

After he was put in the ground, 

the wife and publisher 

went through the unpublished poems. 

It was decided the dead poet 

was an embarrassment: 

he wrote about crude things, 

alcoholism, sex, bodily functions, 

he was misanthropic 

and that was unacceptable 

for the widow and publisher. 

He used coarse language, cursed 

and said bad things about people, 

especially women, 

and it was unacceptable, 

politically incorrect 

for the widow and his publisher, 

so they edited, 

removed words and entire lines, 

softened things up, 

all of which would have outraged the poet, 

but he was dead 

and unable do anything about it. 

I am not a famous poet. 

I am nowhere near fame, and when I die, 

it is unlikely anyone will modify 

and sanitize my poems. 

Most likely, when my remaining possessions

are gone through, they will find my poems, 

stories, and artwork in a box

and like all undiscovered 

and undiscoverable poets, 

everything will be rolled out to the curb 

for trash pickup 

on Thursday.

making ends meet

it’s a terrifying thought. 

the alarm clock 

going off next to my head 

before light has had 

a chance to conquer darkness. 

the bathroom thing. 

I no longer shave, 

but I must brush my teeth, 

what’s left of them, 

and there’s no hair to comb, 

so I am spared another routine. 

dress in clothes perpetually wrinkled, 

put on workman boots, 

a strip of cardboard showing at the heel, 

tie laces with tired fingers. 

out to the car. 

the cars I have gone through, 

they find me when they want to die. 

traffic. it is endless, 

and the anger and impatience, 

the inevitability of road rage 

and casual murder, 

dismemberment in the breakdown lane. 

I pull in at the far end 

of the parking lot 

because I am always late 

and on the edge of discipline, 

write-up, termination. 

and the boss. 

his face forever 

the mirror reflection of a nightmare.

the dream refuses to evaporate. 

and the work, 

mindless, numbing, deadening. 

this is what I face 

here in the autumn of my life. 

it is late November 

and I tell the cat it’s impossible, 

starvation is a possible answer,

a final and futile 

Buddhist gesture.  

the cat looks up at me.

it’s time for his breakfast. 

Timeline

One minute 

you are driving along 

obeying the law 

and the next minute 

a pregnant woman in a pickup truck 

careens from a side street. 

Life is irrevocably altered as she plows into you.

You are no match for her truck and distraction. 

This morning an email was sent. 

It said there are no matches for your job search criteria. 

The woman at the Center for the Aged in the Future

said there are currently no positions for senior citizens. 

You do not ask why.

You have learned not to ask questions. 

Questions are answered in the negative. 

Outside in the car 

you look at traffic and see 

a cement truck approaching. 

If you hurry 

you may be able to reach the street 

and change the timeline

forever. 

until death do us part

my wife

fell off the toilet

hit her head

hard

on the edge of the sink

until crimson flowed

down and dribbled

from her chin. she sat there 

naked on the floor bleeding

looking at me. 

my wife was so drunk

she was in another world

another dimension

and did not recognize me.

her addiction

held tight as a galvanized steel vice 

the two years we were married

and only released its

cold grip upon

death. 

Kurt Nimmo lives in New Mexico. He published Planet Detroit and PNG Chapbooks in the 1980s and 1990s. 

How to build confidence in speaking a second language

Annotation: Nowadays, many language learners face problems related to speaking skills. These issues arise due to the speaker’s tendency to get nervous during speech, fear of making mistakes, and lack of sufficient vocabulary. There are also enough solutions to these problems.

Аннотация: В настоящее время многие изучающие язык сталкиваются с проблемами, связанными с навыками говорения. Эти проблемы возникают из-за того, что говорящий часто волнуется во время речи, боится делать ошибки и не имеет достаточного словарного запаса. Также существуют достаточные решения этих проблем

Annatatsiya: Hozirgi kunda ko’plab til o’rganuvchilar gapirish ko’nikmalariga oid muammolarga duch kelmoqdalar. Ushbu muammolar odatda nutq paytida hayajonlanish, xatolar qilishdan qo’rqish va yetarlicha so’z boyligiga ega bo’lmaslik sababli yuzaga keladi. Bu muammolarni hal qilish uchun yechimlar ham mavjud.

Keywords:audio,confidence,debate,native speakers,conversations

Ключевое слово: Аудио, уверенность, дебаты, носители языка, разговоры

Kalit so‘zlar:audio,ishonch,munozara,o‘z tilida so‘zlashuvchilar, o‘zaro suhbat

Confidence in speaking, especially in a second language, is a skill that develops over time with consistent effort and practice. Here are some strategies to build your confidence:

1. Start Small: Practice speaking in comfortable, low-pressure environments. Begin with familiar topics like hobbies or daily routines.

2. Practice Regularly: Consistency is key. Try to speak English every day, even if it’s just a few sentences to yourself, a language partner, or a tutor. There are some apps available to practice.

Hello Talk — The Best App for Conversation. It allows you to chat with English speakers worldwide through text, voice recordings, voice calls, and video calls. FluentU — The Best Media-Based App. FluentU offers English videos, including news, music, and advertisements. With interactive subtitles, you can click on any word to get additional information about it.

3. Focus on Communication, Not Perfection: Making mistakes is natural and an important part of learning. Aim to communicate your message, even if your grammar or pronunciation isn’t perfect.

4. Record Yourself: Listening to your own speech helps you identify areas for improvement and track your progress over time. When students record their voices, they gain a valuable opportunity to listen to themselves and identify areas where they might be making mistakes in pronunciation, grammar, or fluency.

By carefully analyzing these recordings, they can work on correcting these mistakes, which leads to gradual improvement over time. This practice not only enhances their speech clarity but also boosts their confidence, as they become more aware of their progress and develop better control over their language skills. Additionally, recording their voice allows them to track their development and recognize the positive changes in their speaking abilities, further motivating them to continue practicing. The best program for recording audio is Audio Lab. It is free and useful for students.

5. Expand Your Vocabulary: The more words you know, the easier it becomes to express yourself confidently. Learn phrases and expressions relevant to common situations. Every student has to learn vocabulary to improve their language skills. A strong vocabulary is essential for understanding and expressing ideas clearly. One of the best materials for learning vocabulary is the Cambridge Dictionary. It offers accurate definitions, example sentences, and pronunciation guides, helping students learn how words are used in context. Additionally, the dictionary provides synonyms, antonyms, and related words, which can expand a student’s vocabulary and improve their ability to communicate effectively in English.

6. Engage with Native Speakers: Join language exchange programs, participate in online forums, or attend local events where you can practice English with native speakers. Engaging with native speakers is one of the best ways to improve confidence in language use. If students shadow their speech, they can enhance their fluency and proficiency quickly. However, are the terms ‘native speaker’ and ‘non-native speaker’ truly appropriate, practical, and useful for describing language identity, use, and understanding? When referring to English, which country or countries are considered ‘native’? And within those countries, which region or dialect defines ‘native English’? Does ‘nativeness’ in English Language Teaching (ELT) necessarily lead to better teaching experiences, improved learning outcomes, or a more effective learning process?.

7. Prepare for Conversations: Before speaking, think about what you want to say. Practice common phrases or responses to likely questions. If a student has conversations, they should prepare.

8. Stay Positive: Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. Replace negative thoughts with encouraging ones. Today, most students are not confident because they worry about making speaking mistakes. However, this mindset is incorrect. Everyone makes mistakes; only those who don’t learn from them fail to grow. Mistakes teach us valuable lessons. A student may make mistakes today, but tomorrow they will avoid repeating them.

9. Learn from Feedback: Accept constructive criticism as an opportunity to improve, not as a reflection of failure.

10. Participate in Speaking Activities: Join debates, book clubs, or storytelling sessions to use your language skills in interactive and engaging ways. Participating in speaking clubs is one of the best ways to improve your speaking confidence. When you need to speak in front of others, preparation is key. The more you practice, the more your confidence will grow. On the internet, there are plenty of resources you can utilize, such as “55 Great Debate Topics for Any Project.” These resources provide valuable guidelines to enhance your speech. One important skill in debates is anticipating the opposing side’s arguments. To strengthen your position, prepare ahead of time by considering what the other side might say. This allows you to effectively counter their points and make your arguments more convincing. Additionally, participating in debates hones your critical thinking, persuasion, and public speaking skills, all of which are essential for building confidence. Joining such activities will not only improve your speaking abilities but also boost your overall self-assurance.

A first-year student at the Uzbekistan State World Languages in the Faculty of Philology and Teaching English, located in the Uchtepa district of Tashkent.

References:

https://global-edu.uz/articles/ingliz-tilini-organishda-foydali-boladigan-6-ta-mobil-ilova/

https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/native-speakerism-%E2%80%93-what-it-and-why-does-it-matter

https://blog.prepscholar.com/good-debate-topics

O‘. J.Yo‘ldoshev Umumiy Pedagogika. Toshkent-2017 

H.T.Omonov, N.X. Xo‘jayev, S.A.Madyorova, E.U.Eshchonov. Pedagogik 

texnologiyalar va pedagogik mahorat”.Iqtisodiyot-Moliya” Toshkent-2009 6.Shomirzayev M. X. Developing educational technologiesin school technology education //Asian Journal of Multidimensional Research. – 2021. – Т. 10. – №. 5. – С. 

7.73-79. Bekmuratova U. B. “Ingliz tilini o’qitishda innovatsion texnologiyalardan foydalanish” mavzusida referat. Toshkent — 2012 yil

8.Отабоева, М. Р. Chet tilini o’qitishda zamonaviy innоvatsion texnologiyalaridan foydalanish va uning samaradorligi / М. Р. Отабоева. — Текст: непосредственный, электронный // Молодой ученый. — 2017. — № 4.2 (138.2). — С. 36–37. — URL: https://moluch.ru/archive/138/39058/ (дата обращения: 27.04.2020)

9.Pankov I.P., Zakharov V.P. Information retrieval systems // Applied linguistics. – St. Petersburg, 1996. – P. 334-359

10. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/

Whispers of the Unseen

Beneath the veil of twilight’s hue,

Where shadows dance and dreams renew,

A whisper stirs the silent air,

A tale of love, beyond compare.

In gardens where the moonlight weaves,

Its silver threads through autumn leaves,

Two hearts, once lost, now find their way,

Guided by stars that never stray.

The night, a canvas, vast and deep,

Holds secrets that the heavens keep,

Each constellation tells a part,

Of journeys bound by fate’s own art.

Through time’s embrace, they softly glide,

On waves of hope, with love as guide,

No distance far, no hour late,

For destiny will not abate.

So let the winds of change blow free,

Across the seas of memory,

For in the end, the truth is clear,

Love’s whispers always draw us near.

And as the dawn breaks through the night,

With golden rays and soft sunlight,

The whispers fade, but leave behind,

A bond eternal, pure, refined.

American Male

buys his coffee at 7/11

finds dinner under the heat lamp

at the local gas station

backpacks his belongings

dons shorts on forty degree days

to go with flip flops and white ankle socks

shaves close every morning

to avoid being mistaken for homeless

reads a daily newspaper in the library

calls his mother on Christmas day

cleans his cousin’s office after dark

day dreams about his ex

carries a picture of his infant daughter

in his wallet even though she’s an adult

who refuses to answer his phone calls

pawns his graduation watch when he’s short

sometimes sleeps at the airport

doesn’t smile much–bad teeth

and gray moods that dim the day

admires Robert DiNiro for keeping it real

fondly recalls the old neighborhood

is certain things will get better

and heads to the dollar store for toothpicks

and the stale candy bars he eats before sleep

to help him dream of soft sheets

and waking to the aroma of frying  bacon

which started each day of his childhood

before he left home to be a man

Ask

Ask and you shall receive.

Is that true?

Sometimes a question simply roils the waters

or the answer provided is not an answer at all.

You can ask for too much,

more than your share,

or you might ask for too little.

You may have no right to ask

or you may have an obligation to inquire.

Did Adam ask Eve, “That apple taste good?”

Did Adam ask God, “Why did you expel us?”

Did Adam ask himself, “Did I get a raw deal?”

Did Abel ask Cain,

“Don’t you realize I’m the older brother?”

Does the Pope know everything—or nothing at all?

Are answers more important than questions?

Can we talk about that?

Reflections on the Patio

she grew up with friends who hold government offices

drinks with people who’ve risen to public heights

dines with church vicars administering large sees

former lovers run schools

and relatives control radio empires

while she wades in the backwaters of the urban maze

she sighs with blunted ambition but realizes she also

knew a man who ate his gun

a woman who died homeless on an airport bench

and a once garrulous political heavyweight

who now wears an orange jump suit in early retirement

she pats the hands of those robbed of their past by dementia

and regrets alcohol and drugs have overwhelmed

uncles and aunts and cousins cold in the ground

while the waves of modern life wash away

the footprints of her feckless life

as she stares at the horizon

with puzzled wonder

her life has been

so ordinary

Sunbathing on the Rocks

You lay in the sun

on the rocks bordering the lake,

motionless, like a lizard,

your brown, bare-breasted skin

soaking up the bright

promise of July.

You looked up to find my smile

dusting your curves with desire.

Your calm delight at my gaze

brought me to your side.

You sat up, your palms brushing

your nipples as you lifted the

top of your bikini over your breasts.

I sat down and we crooned

a familiar song of deliberate seduction.

All around us on the rocks,

sunbathers watched our mating

dance like nervous gulls,

edgy at our greedy lust.

I looked back to you

and licked my lips.

You pulled your thong

into the slit between your legs,

took my hand,

kissed my fingertips,

stared into the blue irises

of my balding fantasies,

and asked, “Are you ready?”

I leaned forward

and answered with a kiss,

my tongue probing yours

and the dark distance between us,

while our hearts pounded

with the dangerous tension

that vibrates risky romantics

with terror and bravado.

My Classroom

The room was a garden

filled with young shoots

and waving branches

listing to the sun of

my smile.

The parade of history,

the constellations of numbers.

the periodic table of elements

waved alluringly in fertile fields

of age-ripened wisdom

and my students took

root as I watered the soil

of their quivering, vibrant minds

so they could rise

to inhabit their seedling dreams.

glasses

you forgot your glasses today.

i had mine to offer, fully knowing 

that they wouldn’t work for you.

i wanted to feel a spark with you,

yearning for a singular interaction

that connects our minds together.

you reached for my glasses, and

your hand slightly brushes mine,

sending a whirlpool down my stomach

that makes me slightly dizzy. 

i want to run my fingers through

the curls of your hair, letting the tips

of my fingers attract to your mind.

i can hear your voice loud and clear

behind me, and as your baritone timbre

cuts through everyone else’s, ringing

the bones inside my ears, i listen.

i analyze, i process, and i love.

my soul will always love the way

your eyes move when you speak,

darting to every person listening to you,

and when they latch onto mine,

i hope you can see my love for you.

Then She Said

“Look at this BS on the TV,” cried Riley from the sofa, scoffing at the cable news report one evening before supper.

“What is it?” asked Tricia, pausing in front of the set to stare at the female anchor.

Riley snorted “Some nonsense about rape.” he replied, pausing to drink from what was his fourth bottle of beer. On the screen, the anchor was relating the story of the forcible rape of a starlet by a fellow actor.

“Why is it nonsense?” queried his wife.

Riley’s face assumed a look of contempt. “Because that’s what it is,” he retorted with some heat. “Forcible rape! Look it,” he said, “not a mark on her. Now, if it was statutory rape, then I could see it, but heck, she’s at least nineteen, if she’s a day. And look as who she’s accusing. Jason Jax is a handsome movie star. He can have all the babes he wants who are better looking than Jan Jeffers.”

“Just because she’s not beat up doesn’t mean it wasn’t forced.”

He shook his head, unconvinced. “Don’t believe it,” he said. “If a woman wants to, she can prevent a man from raping her. Don’t all women take some self-defense class these days? She could have stopped him.” He took another drink of beer.

Riley rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean, Trish. She gave it to him.”

“Next you’ll be saying she asked for it based on her movie roles or how she dressed.”

He shrugged. “You saying I’m wrong?”

“You’re living in a dream world, Riley,” she asserted. “Just because a woman isn’t covered in black and blue doesn’t mean she wasn’t forced to have sex.” She looked pointedly at her husband.

“What’re you,” he asked skeptically, “an expert on rape all of a sudden?”

“I did date men before I met you, you know,” she pointed out cryptically.

The effect was instantaneous. “We’re you raped!” he said, his voice rising a little.

“It’s happened more than once before and after we got married,” she told him with a nonchalance that he found infuriating. He stared angrily at her, as though he might next accuse her of responsibility for the assaults.”

“Before I knew you a date got me drunk and raped me while I was unconscious. I didn’t file charges because I didn’t think I’d be believed, and I was afraid of the reaction of people who think like you.”

“Who raped you after we got married?”

“I’ll tell you,” she said, “but you have to promise you won’t hurt him.” He started to strenuously object, but seeing the look of determination on her face, he inhaled a breath of surrender and nodded.

“The only other man who has ever forced me, against my will, to have sex with him… is you.”

The silence hung heavy in the air for some moments, before he responded.”Trish, I never….”

She nodded her head. “Yes, Riley, you have.” He stared at her, disbelieving. “Both times it’s happened, you’ve been drunk. As much as you drink, I’m surprised it hasn’t happened more times.”

“Then why don’t I remember it?” he insisted. “Because I don’t remember a thing, and….”

“I remember,” she said simply. “You don’t think I’d make up something like this, just to make a point or to win an argument, do you?” He shook his head no. “I can only guess that you blacked out the experience because you were so loaded, or your brain won’t let you remember. I read up on it. You don’t form memories when you are blackout drunk. But,” she went on, “you wanted sex and you were going to have it. You didn’t hurt me, much, but for the emotional damage.” There was deep sorrow and regret in Riley’s eyes.

“God,” he said, with self-loathing, “you must hate me. Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“The first time it happened, when we were first married last year. Then, when it happened again over July 4th weekend. Both times, you’d been drinking. The first time, I told you I wasn’t in the mood, but you held me down and forced me. You hurt me. The second time I said no, but knew better than to fight. I asked my sister about it. She’s been married twice and said that’s never happened to her either time she’s been married. I was going to ask Mom but I was afraid she’d tell Dad and what he might do.” Riley gave her a hang dog look. “I love you, Riley, and I couldn’t let anything happen to you,” she said. “I was embarrassed, not sure you’d believe me. I’ve wanted so badly to….confront you about it. I wasn’t sure how.”

When Riley didn’t say anything for a long moment, Tricia broke the silence. She asked him, “What are you thinking?”

“I was remembering, when I was just a kid,” he said. “My brother and I used to listen to my Mom and Dad having sex in their bedroom. It was so loud! I remember thinking; he was forcing her to do it. I didn’t want to accept it and anyway, by the time I was a teenager, it had stopped.” She touched his shoulder. “Dad used to drink a lot, too,” he said quietly. He went on, “He also used to buy those magazines–you know, Penthouse, Oui, all the others. They’d have stories and letters and it always made it sound like the girl wanted it, she was a tease, and had a ‘rape fantasy’ I think they called it. I guess that was pretty stupid, huh? While we are being honest, I should tell you that I’ve been warned about coming into work drunk.”

Biting her bottom lip, Tricia only nodded. “There have got to be some changes, Riley,” murmured Tricia. He nodded gravely. She took a deep breath, released it. “Wash up, time for supper,” she said, walking back towards the kitchen. “Want another beer with supper?” she asked, turning back.

He shook his head no. “No,” he said, shaking his head no. “No,” he said. “That’s just one of the changes we’re going–I’m going to–have to make.”

…