Hi all, November’s second issue will go live on our site on Saturday, November 22nd. That issue will include pieces received between October 27th and November 14th. Everything will go back to a regular schedule, with issues published on the 1st and 15th of each month, beginning with our December 1st issue.
In the meantime, here are some announcements.
Igor Goldkind’s poetry collection Facing the Waves is available for review. Please email us at synchchaos@gmail.com if you are interested!
FACING the WAVES by Igor Goldkind is a bold and immersive exploration of memory, love, protest, and existential inquiry. Blending raw emotion with sharp social critique, Goldkind’s verses traverse themes of personal reflection, political resistance, and spiritual connection. — Subversion Press, 2025
____________________________________________________________ Also, here’s an announcement from our regular contributing author Jacques Fleury:
One of our regular contributors Jacques Fleury is looking for reviewers for the inside and back cover of his upcoming book. Published authors will have the opportunity to mention their books with their quoted reviews for publicity! Non book authors will have the opportunity to get their names out there in the publishing world!
The book will be published by Culicidae Press and its imprints after a “peer review” process. Interested reviewers can contact Jacques Fleury directly at: thewriter3000@gmail.com
Here is the temporary title still in progress and the “Introduction” to the book to help you decide about reading the full manuscript. Read the introduction here.
Poked and WOKE: Prose and Poetry from a Haitian American Dreamer at the Intersection of Politics and Desire
An Assemblage of Fiction, Essays, Reviews, Poetry and More…
Firstly, this is the very REAL Jacques Fleury, not ChatGPT or AI generated jargon and neither is this book! With the advent of technology, these types of warnings, unfortunately, become necessary. This is my fifth time stepping up to the book podium, and what do I have to say to you that’s new?
Well, we will have to see… Let me start out by saying what I’ve learned since the last time I authored a book length letter. As a reminder, the last book I wrote was “You are enough: The journey to accepting your authentic self ” and that was about three years ago and a lot has changed in the world and in my life since then… Like it or not, we are all embroiled in the shark-infested tanks of a new type of reality… It is as if the whole world is at war; whether subjectively or objectively, and you are either a witness or a participant, directly or indirectly getting hit by the bullets of racialized socio-political and economic injustice while world leaders compete for political dominance at the expense of the shunned proletariat. Not to mention the persistence and pervasiveness of the continued healthcare crisis fueled by remnants of Coronavirus variants among other newly discovered viral threats, all at the monster’s ball of world chaos!
Among the most troubling of all is the banning of books for not adhering to the demands or the expectations of those in power positions, even heads of states! All while ignoring and/or challenging our constitutional rights to freedom of the press and freedom of speech in our United States of America! Hence why I am writing yet another book simply to “tell the truth”. Nevertheless, with a continuation of compassion, understanding and even more importantly a sense of necessary levity tethered with humbled humility and erotic sensationalism to mitigate our chaotic chasm.
Some of the stories come with screaming orgasms, some will come with gut wrenching laughter, some will evoke your sympathy; all in an artistic effort to combat the notion of cosmic unrest. Some will bring dignity to the disparaged, direction to the dislocated and directives to the disenfranchised members of our society. I also continued my studies of spirituality, history, and random facts for nerds, and I will present to you what I have learned hoping to distract and educate as political conflicts and interpersonal and societal relations conflate along partisan lines internationally and within the United States.
The state of the world sometimes puts me in a state of dysania every morning… making it hard for me to get out of bed…but then I think to myself “…at least we’ll always have PIZZA!” Just seeing if you were paying attention… I am not here to wag my fingers and harangue you about how bad THEY are or how good WE are. Or how “we” or |”they” are to blame for the way things are. The truth of the matter is, we are all capable of being fallible to the fragility of our humanity.
and it would be an exercise in futility to punish or blame each other for our predestined vulnerabilities. I am simply here to lay out the facts juxtaposed with the myths and hopefully mediate the conflation between the two… in brand new prose poetry. Some of the things I have learned since my last book will be evident in the following stories, essays, reviews, poetry and writing prompts in this book; where retro philosophy meets contemporary challenges, where politics and passion, lust and love, desire and danger collide! So grab your soon to be quivering “thighs”, your K-Y along with your political eye and enjoy!
When it comes to the ways of Earth dwellers, William Shakespeare said it best in his play Julius Caesar, “The fault lies not in ourselves but in our stars that we are underlings…” You may interpret that as you wish.
One must learn to cultivate and sit into their own sense of self-centered peace. “You were never promised ease. Life is not meant to be soft, it is meant to sharpen you, to break what is false and leave what is real…” (From StoicDiary podcast on YouTube) The hits will come left and right top and bottom, as you endure, dents of wisdom will possibly strengthen you to your soul’s core viscera and when it comes to learned life lessons, wisdom and edification, the prose and poetry in this book will offer you a plethora of that.
These narratives in this publication promulgate the mobilization of progressivist ideologies rather than regressive antiquated notions of protracted inequality, that some see as “making America great” for some while “the others” stand on the sidelines with the scowl or chagrin grin of the miserable and the oppressed. Perhaps that, in and of itself, is the conundrum of a democracy: you can’t please EVERYBODY while enduring the persistent and often pernicious governmental policies, arguably motivated by political partisanship rather than focusing on regulatory solutions to benefit ALL Americans regardless of political affiliations, social class or ethnic identity.
I looked up the opposite of “a great person” on AI and one protruding term that came up was “asylum seeker!” Why is a person “bad” because they’re seeking asylum due to circumstances brought on through no fault of their own in their home countries?! However, that is AI for you; it is a mixed bag when it comes to the answers you will get. My mother told me this Haitian proverb in Haitian Creole: “Se yon sitiyasyon ki fe yon aksyon” which translates to “It’s a situation that brings about an action.” The political and economic chaos being “the situation” and the asylum seekers being “the action.” Just like it was for the pilgrims and other European immigrants who sought and are still seeking “asylum” in America similarly due to religious, economic, and sociopolitical unrest in their home countries.
FYI or for your information, “K-Y”(as mentioned above) when used pertaining to sexual activity refers to K-Y Jelly, a brand of personal lubricant used to reduce friction and enhance comfort during sexual activity. While its original purpose was surgical lubrication… But in Japanese slang: “KY” stands for “kuuki yomenai” (空気読めない), which translates to “can’t read the air.” It describes someone who is socially unaware or insensitive.
In other words, someone who is NOT socially conscious, which, for this purpose, would be antithetical to this book’s mission as an exaltation of understanding, compassion, cultural-sexual-political awareness and social justice. It’s genre subversive and decidedly “different” which is totally my brand of serious yet facetious, bookish yet lowbrow series of stories, essays, reviews, poetry and creative writing prompts dripping with sexual fluidity and societal nonconformity. Social outcasts and weirdos will feel as if they belong for a change and that somebody somewhere out there “gets” them. So, what are you waiting for? Get to the reading…
The Play “Kim’s Convenience” Puts InconvenientTruths about Family and Cultural Identity on Display
A Netflix award winning comedy-drama from Canada brings the funny to the Boston Center for the Arts
It’s safe to say that most, if not all, of us are familiar with the local neighborhood “Convenient Store” and that is the premise of this slice of life play “Kim’s Convenience” which sparked the widespread triumphant TV series that ran for five seasons on CBC/Netflix. Adam Blanshay Productions presents this Soulpepper Theatre Company production in association with American Conservatory Theater, Canada’s leading artist-driven theatre company, and directed by Weyni Mengesha. This North American tour is currently showing at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts from Nov. 6 to Nov. 30, has been extended due to popular demand!
The play’s prima facie “basic” premise (yet ultimately complex upon closer scrutiny) is store owner “Mr. Kim”, aka “Appa” played by playwright Ins Choi, is a first-generation Korean Canadian convenience store owner. Mr. Kim, a dedicated family man who works tirelessly to keep his family fed and happy at his convenience store in Toronto, Canada. But with the changing of the times, Mr. Kim faces a contentious dilemma about his future as he experiences the effects of gentrification in a shifting environment and the growing distance between his own ideals and the dreams and aspirations of his Canadian-born children.
Ins Choi, who plays the principal character, Mr. Kim (Appa) describes Kim’s Convenience as his “…love letter to my Appa and Umma, and to all first-generation immigrants who end up making a foreign land, home.” He went on to say, “Having originated the role of Jung (the son) almost fifteen years ago, I’m grateful to now be playing the role of Appa (the dad) in this play. My kids have been preparing me for this their whole lives.”
It begins with a startling narration concerning a rift between Japan and Korea. “Mr. Kim” often starts it off with “In 1904, Japan attacked Korea…” Then goes on and on to about how Japan tried to enslave Korea while customers listen respectfully yet reluctantly. I thought this helped bring the audience into Mr. Kim’s world to some extent, and find out more about his vigilant motives to have Japanese manufactured cars parked in front of his store in the handicap zone immediately towed! It made me want to know more about the bad blood between Japan and Korea.
Korean history was accentuated and the relationship between Japan and Korea was also put under the spotlight, which makes me wonder: why do we blame each other for what our ancestors did in the past instead of starting over in the present? This play brought some audience members to visible tears. It pierces right through your heart and awakens the fragility in one’s humanity. It reminds you of what it means to be human, to be open, to be vulnerable; which is all part of being and feeling alive. The purpose of the theater is to showcase a slice of life live on the stage and hopefully spectators will relate on some level and much like the stage, when we get back to our normal lives, we all put on our costumes and step out onto our personal “life stage”. We are all a continuous staging of plays throughout our lifespans… and this particular play reminded me of that in the most hilarious way.
The production made effective use of most of the five types of dialogue, which helped to enhance further understanding of the plot and plot twists:
Outer dialogue. Outer dialogue is the spoken interaction between characters — what readers “hear” when people in your story speak out loud. …
Inner dialogue. …
Indirect dialogue. …
Dialect. …
Monologue.
However, the most interesting and comically effective dialogue display was the intra-familial dialect, especially between Mr. Kim and his daughter “Janet” portrayed by Kelly J. Seo. The slang term for dialogue spoken only between family members is familect. This refers to a family’s unique set of invented words, inside jokes, and phrases that create a sense of intimacy and unity within the group
There were lively familial nuances and eccentricities that rendered definitive moments of laughter balanced with respective moments of sadness providing opportunities for reflection and impugn our own notions of what it means to be a family. The sacrifices our parents make for us while neglecting their own dreams and passions. We see ourselves in this Korean family in spite of racialized identity. The play pontificates the inarguable fact that we are all part of this human family. We all experience joy, sorrow and moments of hilarity and eventually we all succumb to our fallible humanity. There was preeminently a plethora of unspoken “stuff” between Mr. Kim and his daughter which I find particularly relatable in the context of “real-life” situations that I’ve even experienced with my own family. Our parents don’t always “tell” us they love us, some, especially parents like Mr. Kim who comes from another generation where “feelings” were not necessarily overtly conveyed. It is what we now know as our “love language”.
“Janet” felt a need to hear that her father loves and appreciates her but Mr. Kim feels like he has already “shown” his love and appreciation for her by what he’s done for her over the years, which in “love language” lingo is known as “acts of service.” It was during this part of the play when audience members were visibly in tears over the emotional tug and pull between father and daughter. Then you have “Jung” the prodigal son portrayed by Ryan Jinn, who had a falling out with his father Mr. Kim and left home at an early age, only to return for possible reconciliation and a better future for himself. The mother “Umma” portrayed by Esther Chung played mostly a supporting role, mediating between the father and their adult children as most mothers often do; although that is changing with the evolutionary roles of women in contemporary society which in some instances is translating to more stay-at-home dads while mothers dominate the workforce.
At times due to the accents, the rapid-fire speech was hard to understand, but there was always the opportunity to contextualize it which made things eventually clearer. The accents, broken English and speedy speech actually made the play more endearing with a quirky offbeat quality that I enjoyed.
Despite the intermittent disharmony within family members on the stage, in the context of our current societal reality—with political infighting and wars raging between countries, the play reminds us that our immediate families, whether biological or ones that we create for ourselves, is where we find our true core of selfhood and find our peace despite all that is going on in the outer world.
When it came to race matters between Asians and African Americans, there were dual tensions between racialized acceptance and racialized suspicion and inherent lack of trust based on societal misconceptions and indoctrinations that most of us rail against on a daily basis. A stark reminder that racism is part of the air that we all breathe. And despite our best intentions, we all have our internal and external struggles when it comes to seeing beyond perceived non-scientifically based racial differences and just see each other in one another as just part of “the human race.” This play was about an emancipation of our vulnerable humanity, an invitation to release our preconceived notions and inherited prejudices and once we get beyond that and can laugh at it and at ourselves, then we can strive and move beyond it; in spite of what we’ve been taught about our racialized, socioeconomic and cultural differences…
The sole African American actor Brandon McKnight, who played four different recurring black characters, one being the daughter’s love interest, with hilariously awkward yet touching gradations that added that little sprinkle of pepper to imbue additional zest to an already zesty production. I suppose that, for this purpose, he was literally “the token black” guy who perpetuates as well as challenges black stereotypes.
The set created a realistic feel of being in an actual convenience store, which as an onlooker gave me a sense of familiarity which facilitated just sitting back and absorbing this thoughtfully staged alternate reality.
Kim’s Convenience is seemingly a localized familial Resorgimento in comparison to the 19th century movement for Italian political pursuits to free itself from foreign rule after Napoleon’s defeat in 1815, similar to the desires of the more liberal and modernized children of immigrant parents who aim to “free” themselves from the cultural and familial expectations of their more conservative and traditional “foreign” born parents. It begs the question: can there ever be a price tag on how much we owe to our parents for our personal freedoms and gains at the expense of their own personal losses and sacrifices?
Hailed “the most successful Canadian play of the last decade” by ClassicalFM, Kim’s Convenience was initially fashioned as part of the 2011 Toronto Fringe Festival. The début creation was shaped by Soulpepper Theatre Company in Toronto, ON and grew into a universally successful TV show on CBC and Netflix subsequent to its original run.
Spectator William Horkar relished in the fact that he was able to compare and contrast the play with the Netflix series. He expressed feeling a sense of familiarity with the premise and the characters which made seeing the live performance that much more enjoyable. However he went on to say, ” My thoughts on [this] play are many and somewhat mixed up with my recollection of the rendering of the [Netflix] series. But at its core it spoke to me as a family drama, a story of immigrants and culture, difference and similarity and of a maturing into relationship and responsibility to self and others. I’m very glad I had the opportunity to see it…”
Despite the juicy familial dramata and tensions and the edgy sociopolitical undercurrents, this play still manages to be a constant of comical crescendos that rarely let up without ever letting us down.
Kim’s Convenience is “WOKE” without being preachy. It is an intelligent, incisive and instructive gem of a play, abounding with thunderous laughter and clever comicality! A must see! Five out of five stars for me!
Jacques Fleury is a Boston Globe featured Haitian American Poet, Educator, Author of four books and literary arts student at Harvard University online. His latest publication “You Are Enough: The Journey to Accepting Your Authentic Self” & other titles are available at all Boston Public Libraries, the University of Massachusetts Healey Library, University of Wyoming, Askews and Holts Library Services in the United Kingdom, The Harvard Book Store, The Grolier Poetry Bookshop, Amazon etc… He has been published in prestigious publications such as Spirit of Change Magazine, Wilderness House Literary Review, Muddy River Poetry Review, Litterateur Redefining World anthologies out of India, Poets Reading the News, the Cornell University Press anthology Class Lives: Stories from Our Economic Divide, Boston Area Small Press and Poetry Scene among others…Visit him at: http://www.authorsden.com/jacquesfleury.-
Jacques Fleury’s book You Are Enough: The Journey Towards Understanding Your Authentic Self
FACING the WAVES by Igor Goldkind is a bold and immersive exploration of memory, love, protest, and existential inquiry. Blending raw emotion with sharp social critique, Goldkind’s verses traverse themes of personal reflection, political resistance, and spiritual connection.
From tender tributes to loved ones to fiery calls for justice, the collection challenges readers to confront the complexities of life, death, and humanity.
Accompanied by music from renowned jazz artist Gilad Atzmon, this poetic journey is both deeply personal and universally resonant, reminding us to face the waves of existence head-on.
The author’s perspective on love, as expressed in An Odd Collection of Poetry, is multifaceted and deeply emotional. Love is portrayed as both a source of joy and longing, as well as an affliction that can bring pain and vulnerability.
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Goldkind explores romantic passion, the thrill of connection, and the ache of unrequited love, often highlighting its transformative and consuming nature. He views love as an intense, raw force that intertwines the physical and spiritual, capable of elevating the human experience while also exposing its fragility.
Ultimately, love is depicted as a profound, essential aspect of life, even when it leaves scars.
In FACING the WAVES, the author contrasts love with other emotions by emphasizing its depth, complexity, and transformative power. While emotions like fury, grief, and longing are often depicted as raw and visceral responses to life’s challenges, love stands out as a multifaceted force that intertwines joy, vulnerability, and spiritual connection.
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Unlike anger or despair, which can isolate and consume, love is portrayed as both a unifying and destabilizing experience—capable of elevating the human spirit while exposing its fragility. Goldkind’s exploration of love often juxtaposes its tender moments with the pain of loss or rejection, highlighting its unique ability to encompass both ecstasy and suffering, making it central to the human condition.
Culture is the shared beliefs, customs, values, and traditions that define a society. It influences the way people think, behave, and interact with one another. From language and art to religion and social norms, culture shapes our identity and helps us understand the world around us. Every community, whether small or large, has its unique cultural practices that connect individuals and create a sense of belonging.
One of the most important aspects of culture is communication. Language, for example, is not only a tool for expressing thoughts but also a way of preserving history and traditions. Art, music, and literature reflect the values, emotions, and creativity of a society, allowing people to share experiences across generations. Festivals and rituals strengthen social bonds and bring people together, promoting unity and cooperation.
Culture also plays a vital role in education and personal development. Learning about different cultures encourages tolerance, empathy, and open-mindedness. It helps individuals appreciate diversity and reduces prejudice. In today’s globalized world, understanding other cultures is essential for international relations, business, and travel. Cultural awareness enables better cooperation and helps prevent misunderstandings between people from different backgrounds.
However, culture is constantly evolving. Globalization, technology, and migration influence traditional practices and introduce new ideas. While this can lead to cultural enrichment, it also presents challenges in preserving heritage and identity. Communities must find a balance between embracing modernity and maintaining their cultural roots.
In conclusion, culture is a fundamental part of human life that shapes our identity, guides our actions, and strengthens communities. By appreciating and respecting different cultures, we can foster a more inclusive and harmonious world. Understanding culture is not just about preserving the past but also about building a better future for everyone.
My name is Jasmina Rashidova, a passionate and ambitious student born on November 23, 2008, in Shakhrisabz district, Kashkadarya Region, Uzbekistan!I currently study at School No. 74. I have earned several educational grants and awards, and I am a finalist of competitions like BBG, FO, and VHG. I actively participate in international Model United Nations (MUN) conferences and lead my own educational channel — @Jr_extraWith a deep interest in leadership, public speaking, and writing, I continue to work hard toward achieving academic excellence and inspiring others in my community. A bright example for this can be about little Jasmine Rashidova — A finalist of StriveHub, LOT’2025, and CAMLP’25.
Welcome, readers, to the first Synchronized Chaos issue of November 2025. First, a few announcements.
This issue was edited by poetTao Yucheng, who has been published several times in Synchronized Chaos and in several other publications.
Contributor Kelly Moyer has launched a blog-style journal, Circle of Salt, a simple blog-style journal for all things esoteric. Potential contributors are invited to send up to three unpublished pieces of magickal poetry (including esoteriku), prose, personal essay, original art, reviews, recipes, tips, etc. to Kelly Sauvage Moyer at unfazedmoon@gmail.com. The web address is https://circleofsaltmag.blogspot.com/.
A sip and see is a meet and greet party popular in the southeastern United States where people enjoy light snacks, drinks, and the chance to meet a newborn baby. In a way, Synchronized Chaos Magazine’s issues are global ‘sips and sees,’ celebrations where we may meet newly emerged bursts of creativity.
As we would when encountering a new baby, Priyanka Neogi revels in life’s joy.
Bill Tope and Doug Hawley’s short story “Evergreen” portrays quiet familial concern, capturing the subtle tension and affection between siblings as they notice their mother’s unusual, tender attachment to her garden.
Mahbub Alam takes joy in nature and the brilliant sunshine. Timothee Bordenave’s essay explores permaculture, advocating livestock grazing on fallow land and urban fruit tree forests. Genevieve Guevara playfully links weather patterns and emotions. Walid Alzoukani revels in how the rain enriches his spirit. Brian Michael Barbeito’s“What is the Meadow and What is Love?” finds love and presence in the quiet endurance of nature. Bekturdiyeva Nozima’s essay examines the urgent need to cultivate ecological consciousness among youth, emphasizing education, family, and practical engagement as keys to a sustainable future. Jack Galmitz’ poetry speaks to cultural memory and our connections with nature. Brian Barbeito’s work reflect the relationship between human beings, nature and animals, which is even more important in the current Internet age.
Paintings from Srijani Dutta reflect hope for the return of spring, drawing on images from an Asian mythological system. Eddie Heaton guides us on a surrealist romp through a colorful universe. Mark Young speculates through found and created poetry on how human art can coexist with science and technology.
Image c/o Jacques Fleury
Federico Wardal highlights the work of holistic physician Dr. Antonello Turco and how his medical practice is a work of art. Nidia Garcia celebrates the creativity and insight of a weaver who tells the story of her people in cloth. Taylor Dibbert shares an amusing anecdote about sartorial fashion choices and lost luggage.
Jacques Fleury’s “The Color Purple” is a vibrant meditation on heritage and symbolism, exploring how shades of purple evoke nobility, spirituality, emotion, and the richness of human experience. Normatova Sevinchoy reflects on the nature of beauty and finds it through elegant simplicity. Kelly Moyer’s films explore the relationship between life and all things through the disposal and dissolution of human-built objects.
Literature and writing are integral parts of human creative culture. Contemporary Uzbek literature blends tradition and modernity, emphasizing national identity and the Uzbek language. Abdulazizova Nigina Faxriddin qizi’s article “Developing Speech Culture of Primary School Students” examines methods to enhance young learners’ oral and written communication, emphasizing interactive strategies, cultural awareness, and the link between speech skills and social participation.
Zuhra Jumanazarova expresses that preserving the literary quality of the Uzbek language is integral to preserving Uzbek culture. Muhayyo Toshpo’latova’s essay explores how contemporary Uzbek literature balances tradition, national identity, and digital-age innovation. Nilufar Yusupova discusses advantages and challenges posed by online education. Masharipova Unsunoy outlines strategies for improving student public speaking competence. Dilafruz Karimova evaluates various methods for teaching English as a second language. Rashidova Lobar’s“Mother Tongue” is a heartfelt tribute to the Uzbek language, celebrating it as the nation’s soul, heritage, and eternal source of pride and unity.
Peter Cherches’ vignettes explore through gentle humor how we make decisions and set up our lives. James Tian reminds the faithful to use their God-given brains, even in church.
Janna Hossam’s essay explores the fleeting nature of achievement and the trap of “fast dopamine,” urging a shift from chasing external validation to finding lasting fulfillment in steady, meaningful growth. Sharifova Saidaxon advocates for balance in the use of social media and online entertainment. O‘rozboyeva Shodiya’s essay “How Social Media Affects Young People” reflects on the dual impact of social media, highlighting its benefits for learning and reading while cautioning against distraction and over-immersion in the virtual world.
Turkan Ergor reflects on how people’s strongest desires and best-laid plans don’t come to fruition. Dr. Ashok Kumar expresses the peace found through surrendering to what we cannot control.
J.T. Whitehead’s Nocturnes are haiku-inspired reflections on art, history, and personal experience, capturing quiet joy and solitude. Christina Chin and Marjorie Pezzoli’s collaborative renga blends fragmented, stark imagery with a conversational, experimental flow, exploring tension, vulnerability, and the raw textures of experience. Derek Dew’s poems “To Come” and “What is Ours” delve into language, memory, and moral stillness, blending abstraction and lyricism to explore identity, silence, and the elusive nature of meaning. Sayani Mukherjee’s “God’s Hands” is a dreamlike meditation on time and memory, shimmering with blue skies and fleeting wishes. Vo Thi Nhu Mai’s “Harbour of the Changing Season” is a tender, reflective meditation on love, loss, and the passage of time, finding beauty and peace in the rhythms of nature and the flow of life.
Duane Vorhees’ poem “ORH” tenderly portrays love as cleansing and transformative, merging identities like rain washing away dust. Amina Kasim Muhammad advocates kindness and humanity. In a similar vein, Maja Milojkovic reflects on the value of a human soul as measured by the person’s compassion and integrity. Ruzimbayeva Quvonchoy Jamoladdin qizi’s essay highlights Uzbekistan’s national values as the enduring heart of the nation, shaping identity, unity, and moral life.
Yodgorova Madina also celebrates traditional Uzbek values such as diligence, hospitality, respect for the elderly, the young, and women, honesty, and compassion and urges modern Uzbeks to pass down those values. Jumanazarova Muxlisa’s essay highlights women as the vital foundation of Uzbek society, shaping history, education, and leadership. In the same vein, Egyptian writer Adham Boghdady’s poem portrays a woman as a radiant, inspiring presence who lights up hearts and the world. Dildora Khojyozova’s essay “Kindness and Humanity in the 21st Century” emphasizes the enduring importance of empathy and compassion amid technological and social change, arguing that true progress depends on how we treat one another.
Abbas Yusuf Alhassan’s long poetic piece illustrates the different facets of love as expressed through grief. Elmaya Jabbarova’s poetry intertwines love and grief. RP Verlaine comments on what brings people together and what divides us. Eldar Akhadov ponders the mental distance that inevitably separates everyone.
Turdiyeva Guloyim’s “I’m Tired, Mother!” expresses profound loneliness and disillusionment, lamenting false friendships, cruelty, and the harshness of the world, while yearning for genuine human connection. Kandy Fontaine’s“Nepantla, The Tipping Point, Deep Time: A Conversation Between Worlds” examines the intersections of literature, identity, and planetary change, using the concept of Deep Time to reflect on societal fear, power structures, and the urgent need for transformation. Mirta Liliana Ramirez reminds us that powerful people exist who prey on the vulnerable. Patricia Doyne surveys the sentiments at a San Francisco Bay Area No Kings rally. Aubrey Malaya Lassen’s poem “The Call” confronts misunderstanding and oppression, using vivid animal imagery to explore awareness, resistance, and the refusal of power to recognize truth.
Bill Tope’s “The Gauntlet” is a tense short story following Anais, a Haitian refugee, as she navigates an unsettling encounter with police in a small Ohio town, exploring themes of fear, vulnerability, and power. Ahmed Miqdad’s poem reflects on the horrors of violence and displacement, using stark imagery of blood and silence to evoke grief and loss. Emeniano Acain Somoza Jr. writes of humans eking out existence in the shadows of ageless deities and harsh weather. Stephen Jarrell Williams crafts a slow piece on calm preparations as an apocalypse looms.
J.J. Campbell illustrates the lingering effects of trauma on a person’s life and psyche. Mykyta Ryzhykh’s poem juxtaposes stark, unsettling images with fragile signs of life, capturing the raw and abrupt entry of innocence into harsh reality. Alexa Grospe personifies the pain and terror of stage fright and writers’ block. Philip Butera views life from the panoramic perspective of one nearing death. Ablakulova Dilfuza’s essay “My child, if I leave, you won’t find me again” is a poignant meditation on solitude, aging, and loss, vividly portraying the emotional landscape of a woman left alone, clinging to memories as her world darkens. Adewuyi Taiwo’s short story “A Star Called Priye” explores themes of family secrets, grief, and quiet strength.
Jabborova Vasila comments on how medicine can address psychological changes in some heart transplant patients. Melita Mely Ratkovic’s poem urges the speaker’s friend to heal and love themselves again after trauma. Ramona Yolanda Montiel wishes all her readers simple joys and gentle comfort.
Eva Petropoulou Lianou’s “Miracles” celebrates everyday wonders, human connection, and the light of faith amid darkness. Jeanette Eureka Tiburcio’s poem honors resilience and hope, invoking golden children as symbols of strength, growth, and the enduring light amid adversity.
We hope that this issue serves as a guiding light as you ‘sip and see’ the many forms of human thought and feeling from around the world.
Short Fiction of Alice Munro: Cultural Memory and Psychological Identity
Ratan Bhattacharjee Ph.D.,D.Litt*
Alice Munro, the Nobel Prize-winning Canadian author, is renowned for her psychologically rich short stories that explore the intricacies of memory, identity, and cultural inheritance. This paper examines how Munro’s fiction engages with cultural memory and psychological identity, particularly through the lens of gender, place, and time. Drawing on selected stories from collections such as The Moons of Jupiter, Runaway, and Dear Life, the paper argues that Munro’s narratives function as intimate excavations of the self, shaped by familial legacies, social expectations, and the quiet violence of memory. Alice Munro’s fiction is often described as “novelistic” in its depth and complexity, despite its brevity. Her stories are rooted in the rural landscapes of southwestern Ontario, yet they transcend geography to explore universal themes of memory, identity, and emotional survival. Munro’s protagonists—often women—navigate the tensions between personal desire and cultural expectation, between past trauma and present consciousness. Munro constructs psychological identity through the prism of cultural memory, revealing the subtle interplay between individual experience and collective inheritance. Cultural memory, as theorized by Jan Assmann, refers to the shared pool of knowledge and experience that shapes a community’s identity over time. In Munro’s work, cultural memory is embedded in domestic rituals, family histories, and the social codes of small-town life. Her stories often begin in the present but spiral into the past, uncovering buried truths and unresolved tensions.In “Walker Brothers Cowboy” (Dance of the Happy Shades), the narrator recalls a childhood outing with her father, which gradually reveals the economic hardship and emotional repression of Depression-era Ontario. The story’s power lies in its subtle evocation of class memory and familial silence. As Jędrzej Burszta notes, Munro’s narratives are “intimate and psychological portraits… embedded in the dynamic clash between individualism and community” (Burszta).Similarly, “The Moons of Jupiter” explores the strained relationship between a writer and her dying father. The protagonist’s memories of childhood are refracted through adult disillusionment, revealing how cultural scripts of fatherhood and filial duty shape emotional perception. Munro’s use of fragmented chronology mirrors the instability of memory itself, suggesting that identity is always in flux.Munro’s fiction is deeply concerned with the formation of psychological identity, particularly in women. Her protagonists often struggle to reconcile internal desires with external roles—daughter, wife, mother, lover. This tension is most vividly portrayed in stories like “Runaway,” where Carla, a young woman trapped in an abusive marriage, vacillates between escape and submission. Munro’s psychological realism is grounded in the minutiae of thought—hesitations, rationalizations, and suppressed emotions. In “Runaway,” Carla’s identity is shaped not only by her present circumstances but by the cultural memory of female sacrifice and endurance. Her inability to leave her husband is not merely personal weakness but a reflection of inherited narratives about marriage and duty.In “Royal Beatings” (The Beggar Maid), the narrator recalls her father’s violent discipline, which she later learns was a reenactment of his own childhood trauma. The story illustrates how psychological identity is transmitted across generations, often through pain. Munro’s exploration of intergenerational memory challenges the notion of autonomous selfhood, emphasizing the porous boundaries between past and present. Munro’s stories are often set in rural Ontario, a landscape that functions as both setting and symbol. The small towns, farms, and lakes are repositories of memory, where characters confront the ghosts of their past. Munro’s attention to place is not nostalgic but forensic—she excavates the emotional sediment of geography. In “Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage,” the protagonist Johanna navigates a world shaped by social class and gender norms. Her psychological identity is forged through acts of quiet rebellion, such as traveling alone or marrying unexpectedly. The story’s setting—a remote town and a train journey—mirrors Johanna’s internal transformation, suggesting that movement through space can catalyze shifts in self-perception. Time in Munro’s fiction is non-linear, often looping back to earlier moments or jumping forward unexpectedly. This temporal fluidity reflects the workings of memory, which is rarely chronological. In “Dear Life,” Munro blends autobiographical fragments with fictionalized recollections, blurring the line between lived experience and narrative construction. The result is a meditation on how memory shapes identity, and how storytelling becomes a form of self-making.Munro’s stories frequently engage with trauma—emotional, physical, and psychological. Yet she resists sensationalism, opting instead for quiet revelations and elliptical disclosures. Trauma in Munro’s fiction is often encoded in silence, in what is not said or remembered. In “Dimension,” a woman visits the psychiatric hospital where her husband is incarcerated for murdering their children. The story unfolds through her internal monologue, revealing how trauma distorts memory and reshapes identity. Munro’s portrayal of grief is restrained yet devastating, emphasizing the ethical complexity of remembering. Munro also explores the trauma of social exclusion. In “Red Dress—1946,” a young girl experiences humiliation at a school dance, which becomes a formative memory of shame and alienation. The story captures how cultural norms—beauty, popularity, femininity—imprint themselves on the psyche, shaping identity through emotional injury.Alice Munro’s fiction offers a profound exploration of cultural memory and psychological identity. Her stories illuminate how individuals are shaped by familial legacies, social expectations, and the quiet violence of memory. Through her nuanced portrayals of women, her forensic attention to place and time, and her ethical engagement with trauma, Munro constructs a literary world where identity is always in negotiation. Munro’s work challenges readers to reconsider the boundaries between self and society, between memory and narrative. In doing so, she affirms the power of storytelling as a means of understanding who we are, where we come from, and how we carry the past within us.Munro’s fiction is deeply rooted in place, particularly the rural landscapes of Ontario. These settings are not merely backdrops but active participants in memory transmission. The towns, farms, and lakes are repositories of familial and cultural memory, where characters confront the ghosts of their past.In “Home,” the narrator returns to her childhood house, now inhabited by her stepmother. The physical space triggers memories of her father, her mother, and her own emotional development. Munro uses the house as a metaphor for the layered nature of memory—each room holds a different story, a different version of the self. In “Fiction,” a woman discovers that a young writer has fictionalized her life. The story raises questions about ownership of memory and the ethics of storytelling. Munro implies that memory is communal, shaped by both teller and listener. The transmission of memory across generations is not passive but active, involving interpretation, negotiation, and sometimes conflict.Place also serves as a bridge between generations. In “Working for a Living,” Munro recalls her father’s fur-trapping business and the economic struggles of her family. These memories are tied to the land, to the rhythms of rural life. Munro suggests that identity is shaped not only by people but by the environments they inhabit.Munro’s characters often use memory to resist cultural norms and to reclaim agency. In “Friend of My Youth,” the narrator revisits her mother’s stories about a woman named Flora, who defied expectations by refusing to marry. The narrator’s interpretation of Flora’s life changes over time, reflecting her own evolving identity.Munro portrays memory as a site of contestation, where different versions of the past compete for legitimacy. The narrator’s attempt to understand Flora becomes a way of understanding her mother, and ultimately herself. Munro suggests that reclaiming memory is an act of empowerment, allowing individuals to rewrite inherited narratives.Dr. Ratan Bhattacharjee Former Affiliate Faculty, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA is an International Tagore Awardee poet and multilingual Columnist . Email profratanbhattacharjee@gmail.comWorks CitedMunro, Alice. Too Much Happiness. McClelland & Stewart, 2009.Munro, Alice. Open Secrets. McClelland & Stewart, 1994.Munro, Alice. Dear Life. McClelland & Stewart, 2012.Munro, Alice. Runaway. McClelland & Stewart, 2004.Munro, Alice. Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage. McClelland & Stewart, 2001.Burszta, Jędrzej. “Images of Past and Present: Memory and Identity in Alice Munro’s Short-Story Cycles.” ResearchGate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314633920..Munro, Alice. Dance of the Happy Shades. McClelland & Stewart, 1968.Munro, Alice. The Moons of Jupiter. McClelland & Stewart, 1982.Munro, Alice. Runaway. McClelland & Stewart, 2004.Munro, Alice. Dear Life. McClelland & Stewart, 2012.Assmann, Jan. “Collective Memory and Cultural Identity.” New German Critique, vol. 65, 1995, pp. 125–133.Clifford, James. “Diasporas.” Cultural Anthropology, vol. 9, no. 3, 1994, pp. 302–338.
