Cover of a Book

Can I buy you a drink?” the tall, rumpled man asked the petite woman in the tavern. She was a looker, he thought, lightly licking his lips. 

She narrowed her green eyes at him, looked him up and down and replied, “I don’t know, can you?” 

Ralph became newly conscious of his shabby street clothes. He was still attired in the garb he favored when working undercover for the police department. But, his thirst for a beer had been so great that he’d dropped in without going home and changing first.

He managed to respond, “When your students get it wrong, do you make them do it over again until they get it right?” He’d noticed the “Teacher of the Month” ribbon affixed to her top. 

She couldn’t suppress a smile. “Do you always answer a question with a question? But, I guess I just did that too. Never mind, buy me a drink – it’s been a tough day. May I buy you a drink? From the way you are dressed, I imagine I can afford one better than you.” She was ribbing him, he thought. 

Ralph called out “Garcon, we would like to order drinks. She’s buying me your cheap beer. What am I buying for you, dear?” 

“I’ll have an atomic gin – I mean gin and tonic – sorry for my name for the drink. Drink enough and they are atomic – blow your mind.” 

They engaged in getting-to-know-you small talk for some time, consuming several libations in the process. Ralph didn’t reveal his occupation; he saw no reason to tell “Annie” that he was a cop. It was partially defensive; a lot of citizens were turned off by his choice of careers. Besides, he was enjoying the charade of being mysterious. After all, it was part of his lifestyle. 

Finally, Annie put the question to him: “What do you do for a living, Ralph?” 

He smiled. “Ah, but that would be telling.” 

“Can you at least tell me if you’re legally employed?” Annie asked, with a little pout. 

“Very legally, if there is such a thing. I don’t like to talk about myself unless I’m being paid, which has never happened, but I would like to know more about you, Annie.” 

“I educate business men.” 

“Just men?” 

“Mostly men, but quite a few women have liked my lessons.” 

“What do you teach those men and women?” 

“You might need some lower level introduction before you would understand…” Annie realized she might be talking down to Ralph and stopped talking. 

In the midst of an awkward pause, into the tavern walked Ed, who, like Ralph, was a vice cop. He worked a different precinct, however. 

“Hey, bro’,” said Ed in greeting, slapping Ralph on the back. Suddenly Ed caught sight of Annie and drew up short. “You’re a little out of your territory, aren’t you?” he asked archly. Annie looked daggers at the man. 

“Hey,” Ralph spoke up. “Do you two know each other?” He pointed alternately at the pair. “Ed?” he prompted. 

“A lifetime ago,” replied the other man. Turning to Annie, he remarked, “You’re looking good.” Annie said nothing. Getting the message, Ed said, “I’ll check you later,” and he drifted off. 

“How do you know Ed, Annie?” asked Ralph curiously. 

“It was a…business relationship.,” she said shortly.  

Warning signs began going off like fireworks in Ralph’s brain. How would he ever live down being taken in by a hooker? He must be losing his touch, he thought, and shook his head.  

Annie became aware of Ralph’s sudden coldness and said, “Excuse me; I have to visit the little girls’ room.” She hopped off the barstool and vanished in the direction of the restrooms. 

Ralph, meanwhile, with his cop’s intuition for the dark side of human nature, walked across the bar to find his fellow detective, Ed. He found him talking to a stunning brunette. He excused himself to the woman and drew Ed away from her. 

“Hey, man,” he said once he had the other man to himself, “what’s the deal with Annie?” 

Ed, annoyed at breaking the rhythm of his seduction of the other woman, said, “what do you want to know?” 

“Where do you know her from?” 

“It was a business transaction,” replied Ed. 

“Damn,” exclaimed Ralph. “You mean she’s a pro?” He was mortified. It was as bad as he’d thought. 

Ed’s face showed his amusement. “Relax, Ralph,” he said. “Annie is a professional–businesswoman. She taught a seminar last fall. You remember when I was considering retiring from the force and starting my own business? Well, afterwards we dated and I’m afraid it didn’t end well. In all events, there were hurt feelings all round. Excuse me, a lady is waiting for me, and I’d hate to disappoint her.” 

When Annie returned, Ralph felt bad about suspecting her of being a prostitute. It was clear she had put two and two together and read his thoughts. She was decidedly colder now. He felt like he had to come clean. 

“I’m apologize, Annie” he said. “I jumped to the wrong conclusions and I am sorry.” He saw her features soften. “Can we start over?” he implored. 

A small smile blossomed on Annie’s pretty face and she said, “Alright. Everyone deserves a second chance.” 

Ralph sighed with relief. “Do you think you might have a drink with me next Saturday?” he asked. 

“If I say yes, can you leave the vice cop at the door?” she asked. “I’d hate to be on the scene of a bust,” she said wryly. 

“Promise,” said Ralph. “How about Doug’s place, in the central west end?” 

 “Ok, I’ll meet you there.” Annie felt relief at the now relaxed vibe. 

Out of the blue, Ralph asked, “Are you worried that I drive a car that matches the way I dress?” 

“Ok, let’s just drop all that, but you could dress for a possible second date. By the way, I don’t mind dating a cop.” 

Touche! He thought with a grin. 

                                                

Musings on Husserl’s Personal Transcendental Phenomenology

Husserl’s own personal phenomenology was unique in many ways. He wrote, like others, of meaning and consciousness, but added his own individual flavor in giving us the noema, sense data and other concepts, virtually all of which, one could assert, have combined to withstand the test of time.

A key idea of Husserl’s circulates around the concept of meanings. He writes, “Everything that is logical falls under the two correlated categories of meaning and object.” (Welton 47) And what does he mean by this? First is the idea of mental acts or processes as the bearer of meanings (bedeutungen). One meaning can be instantiated or carried by many different mental acts or states. Further, meaning and objects are interrelated. States Husserl, “Meanings constitute … a class of concepts in the sense of ‘universal objects’.” (50) In just what sense did Husserl think such objects exist? Most likely, as objects of consciousness.  

Second, is the idea that particular unities exist between mental acts – unities of meaning (somewhere between voicing and perceiving). He sees a perhaps-necessary intention to express meaning (content) in some form. This idea carries three “intentions.” First, is the voicing intention – for example, the production of certain sounds. Second is the meaning intention, in which some state of affairs is meant to be expressed by the sounds in question – content expresses the expressive act. At this point, there is a relation between meaning intention and meaning fulfillment. Third, is perceptual intention, in which sensations must become involved.  

However, as Barry Smith notes, “it is important to stress that meanings as thus conceived by Husserl are not the objects of normal acts of language use. Meanings can however become the objects of special types of reflective act.” (20) It is this type of act that forms the basis of Husserl’s logic. Does that imply that Meaning is then Truth? J. N. Mohanty states, “truth, as correspondence of meaning with its object, is to be understood as the coincidence (deckung) of the meaning and its fulfilling intuition.” (50) Truth then lies in the theory of perceptions, of concept-formation, of “truth-in-itself,” as Smith argues (416). Finally, “One can analyze the meaning of … experience, and thereby investigate its intentional content…. It is meaning or sense that provides consciousness with its object-directedness.” (Zahavi, 22-23) Meaning is defined by the logic of truth via a perceptual state or process.  

From his concept of meaning, Husserl shifts to the idea of description in building his “science” of phenomenology. Husserl writes,

In a certain way, we can thus distinguish “explanatory” phenomenology as a phenomenology of regulated genesis, and “descriptive” phenomenology as a phenomenology of possible, essential shapes (no matter how they have come to pass) in pure consciousness and their teleological ordering in the realm of possible reason under the headings “object” and “sense.” (318-319)

Having briefly touched on Object, let’s address sense in Husserl’s concept of description. The word “I” applies to the thinker of “this thought”; the description of self applies to oneself. “I” can be so described. What is it exactly to refer to or think about myself as myself? (Or could one perhaps ask which reality is the real reality?) Through sense and the reference of “I” the thing that satisfies description “D” can be viewed in two ways: “I” thoughts refer by way of some description of their reference, and the “I” in I-thoughts is a disguised (abbreviated) “definite description.” I-thoughts are referential. Husserl combines various sorts of references into one single reference in a fusion of separate objects. As Zahavi states, “reference is determined by the sense, that is … reference is effectuated via the sense.” (58) (Husserl often uses the term “sense-data”.) Of sense, Husserl writes,

Like perception, every intensive mental process—just this makes up the fundamental part of intentionality—has its “intentional Object,” i.e., its objective sense. Or, in other words: to have sense or “to intend to” something … is the fundamental characteristic of all consciousness which, therefore, is not just any mental living whatever, but is rather a <mental living> having sense, which is “noetic.” (89-90)

And of the the noetic (or the noema)?  Zahavi argues,

It is widely acknowledged that the noema is something that is only discovered through the epoche [bracketing] and the reduction. It is only then that we thematize the intended qua intended, that is, the object exactly as it is meant and given. But does the epoche imply that we parenthesize the transcendent spatio-temporal world in order to account for internal mental representations, or does the epoche rather imply that we continue to explore and describe the transcendent spatio-temporal world, but in a new and different manner? Is the noema, the object-as-it-is-intended, to be identified with an internal mental representation—with an abstract and ideal sense—or rather with the givenness of the intended object itself? (58)

The noema ties in with meaning. Jaakko Hintikka contends “there is a temptation to isolate noemata conceptually from their objects far too rigidly, to assume that we can find out all we need to know about intentional meaning by examining the mediators of this meaning, the noemata.” (79) However Hintikka continues, “no analysis of the structure of the noema, however detailed and accurate, can tell you what its relation is to its object.” (79)  

One can make at least three distinctions regarding the noema, perhaps by using a violin tone as a (unique) example. First, there is the tone, which is real and frankly foundational. Second, one should put aside questions of material reality of the tone, creating a tonal, spatial “phantom” (while forgetting about the source). Third, spatial apprehension can then be suspended and it becomes mere sense datum. Peter Simons puts it a different way though: “each noema has a kernel or nucleus which consists of three elements: a substratum, a set of qualitative moments, and modes of fulfillment of these qualities.” (127) The noema circles back to the idea of objects. Whatever the case, it can be agreed there are real objects appearing in various ways (as in physical sounds), the appearance through which real objects appear (such as auditory appearances), and finally, hyletic data (sense contents, or sensations).

Another concept Husserl emphasizes is the constitution of temporal objects and of time itself. Husserl writes, “Objects of this kind become constituted in a multiplicity of immanent data and apprehensions, which themselves run off as a succession.” (186) Schematic objects equate to appearances and are not located within the stream of consciousness. The highest level of objectivity is the community. Further, there are two judgment contents: the noetic and noematic.           

Two idea-thoughts occur: 1) sense impressions are the impressional side of the retentional side; 2) the concept of double intentionality – the intentionality of retention of the past. The consciousness of past consciousness of duration.  

Husserl writes at length on these concepts:

Time-constituting phenomena … are evidently objectivities fundamentally different from those constituted in time. They are neither individual objects nor individual processes, and the predicates of such objects or processes cannot be meaningfully ascribed to them. Hence it also can make no sense to say of them … that they exist in the now and did exist previously, that they succeed one another, and so on. But no doubt we can and must say: A certain continuity of appearance—that is, a continuity that is a phase of the time-constituting flow—belongs to a now, namely, to the now that it constitutes; and to a before, namely, as that which is constitutive … of the before. (213)

Is Husserl being overly idealistic in his concept of constitution? Perhaps, but Husserl’s idealism differs from the traditional. As Zahavi illustrates, for Husserl:

Constitution is a process that unfolds itself in the structure subjectivity-world. For that reason, constitution cannot be interpreted as a contingent animation of some meaningless sense data, nor as an attempt to deduce or reduce the world from or to a worldless object. (74)

Husserl wrote on many concepts and ideas. However, it was his own personal phenomenology that set him apart from so many other philosophers, both at that time and on into the future. While his theories surrounding meaning and objects, sense data, noema and the like are addressed in these musings, many more essential Husserlian phenomenological components await discussion, among them time-consciousness, hyle, intersubjectivity, pure logic, lifeworld, transcendental idealism and so on. These and Husserl’s interrelationships, ethics, objectivity insights and impactful real-world views combine to assure Husserl a reliable place in the realm of philosophy, as well as a continuing influence in numerous fields and among many philosophers, thinkers and scholars.

Scott C. Holstad has authored 60+ books with such publishers as HarperCollins, Sterling House, Chiron Review Press, Lummox Press, Texas Review Press, Gothic Press, Longman & Pearson. He has appeared in the Minnesota Review, Exquisite Corpse, Pacific Review, Santa Clara Review, Long Shot, Wormwood Review, Chiron Review, Kerouac Connection, Palo Alto Review, Wisconsin Review, Lullwater Review, Southern Review, Arkansas Review, San Pedro River Review, Gangan Verlag, Sivullinen, Ink Sweat & Tears, Mad Swirl, Misfit, Bristol Noir, The Beatnik Cowboy, PULP, WIREWORM, Synchronized Chaos, Horror Sleaze Trash, Ashville Poetry Review & Poetry Ireland Review. 

He holds degrees from the University of Tennessee, California State University Long Beach, UCLA & Queens University of Charlotte. He currently lives near Gettysburg PA.  

https://hankrules2011.com

X: @tangledscott 

Using artificial intelligence capabilities to improve the quality of professional training of students

Student of the Andijan State Institute of Foreign Languages

 Tursunkhujayeva Malika

abdusamadovnamalika@gmail.com

  +998932412315

Аннотация. В данной статье анализируется возможность эффективного использования технологий искусственного интеллекта (СИ) в процессе профессиональной подготовки студентов. Рассматривается роль обучающих платформ на основе искусственного интеллекта, виртуальных тренажеров и кастомизированных систем образования в повышении качества образования. В нем также подчеркивается роль технологии СИ в развитии профессиональных навыков студентов, создании индивидуализированных программ обучения и автоматизации процесса обучения. Результаты исследования свидетельствуют о том, что широкое внедрение искусственного интеллекта в сферу образования является важным фактором подготовки студентов как конкурентоспособных кадров.

Ключевые слова: искусственный интеллект, профессиональное обучение, цифровое обучение, индивидуальное обучение, автоматизация.

Annotation. This article analyzes the possibility of effective use of artificial intelligence (SI) technologies in the process of professional preparation of students. The role of artificial intelligence-based learning platforms, virtual simulators, and customized education systems in improving the quality of education is examined. It also highlights the role of SI technology in the development of students’ professional skills, the creation of individualized training programs and the automation of the learning process. The results of the study indicate that the widespread introduction of artificial intelligence in the field of education is an important factor in preparing students as competitive personnel.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, vocational training, digital learning, individual learning, automation.

Today, artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are rapidly entering the educational process. They allow individualizing the educational process, assessing students’ knowledge and improving their professional skills. The use of AI tools is especially important in vocational training, which helps to connect theoretical knowledge with practical training. The modern education system must adapt to rapid changes and prepare students as competitive specialists. As a result of the integration of AI into the educational process, it has become possible to automate the educational process, strengthen the individual approach, and bring practical training closer to real life. AI technologies are of great importance in the process of vocational training, as they allow creating conditions for students close to a real work environment, making the educational process interactive and personalized.

1. Artificial intelligence and the educational process. The concept of artificial intelligence has a broad meaning, it includes the capabilities of machines such as human thinking, logical analysis, and decision-making. Currently, AI is widely used in the field of education in the following areas: Personalized learning systems – creating an individual curriculum for each student. Intelligent tutors – using automated educational programs to consolidate student knowledge. Virtual laboratories – conducting practical training in engineering, medicine, and other disciplines. AI-based analysis and monitoring – assessing student knowledge and monitoring the dynamics of their growth. AI is widely used in the education system in the following areas: Customized educational programs – AI analyzes the student’s level of knowledge and recommends appropriate educational materials. Virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) technologies – allow creating experiences close to real life to develop professional skills. Intelligent tutors – AI-powered tutoring systems effectively increase student learning. Automation of the learning process – Test assignments, essay evaluations, and other learning processes are automated.

2. The role of artificial intelligence in professional training. Professional training should provide students with practical skills along with theoretical knowledge. Artificial intelligence offers the following advantages in this process: Simulation and training systems – Students in medicine, engineering and other fields can gain experience in a virtual environment. Personalization of the learning process – Each student is provided with educational material tailored to their needs. Interactive learning – Students consolidate their knowledge through chatbots, virtual teachers and other technologies.

3. Assessment and monitoring of results using artificial intelligence. Assessment systems based on AI allow for a more accurate and rapid assessment of student knowledge. For example: Test systems automatically analyze the student’s level of knowledge. There are systems for assessing essays and written work using AI. It is possible to monitor the dynamics of student learning during the learning process.

4. Problems and solutions in the introduction of artificial intelligence into education. There are some problems in the introduction of AI technologies into education: Technical and infrastructure problems – Many educational institutions do not have sufficient resources to introduce AI technologies. Pedagogical adaptation – Teachers must adapt to working with new technologies. Digital literacy of students and teachers – Students and teachers must have digital skills to use AI technologies. The following measures are proposed to solve the above problems: Development of digital infrastructure in educational institutions. Training teachers in the use of AI technologies. Creation of interactive courses based on AI for students.

Prospects for the use of artificial intelligence in Uzbekistan. The Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On measures to develop artificial intelligence technologies” dated October 6, 2020 noted the need for the widespread introduction of AI technologies into the educational process. In this regard: New specialties in the field of artificial intelligence are being opened at universities. Electronic platforms based on artificial intelligence are being introduced into the education system. New projects are being implemented in collaboration with international organizations. For example, the Tashkent University of Information Technologies (TUIT) and the Muhammad al-Khwarizmi Specialized School have launched training in AI technologies. Distance and mastery-oriented education. Today, many universities and vocational centers are switching to distance learning. The creation of automated distance learning platforms using artificial intelligence will create convenience for students. These systems allow for the delivery of learning materials, automatic checking and grading of homework, and the development of interactive curricula.

In conclusion, the use of artificial intelligence technologies is of great importance in improving the quality of students’ professional training. It helps to effectively organize the educational process by creating personalized learning, virtual laboratories, automated analysis systems, and interactive learning environments.

A number of reforms are being implemented in the education system of Uzbekistan to introduce the capabilities of artificial intelligence. In particular, new specialties are being opened at universities, distance learning platforms are being developed, and international cooperation is being established. This will serve to train qualified, modern technology-savvy, and competitive personnel in the future.

Therefore, it is necessary to continue consistent measures to further introduce artificial intelligence into the educational process, enrich curricula with innovative approaches, and prepare students for modern professions. This will have a positive impact on the sustainable development of the economy and science of our country

                                         Used literature

1 .Russell, S., & Norvig, P. (2021). Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach. Pearson.

2. Luckin, R. (2018). Machine Learning and Human Intelligence: The Future of Education for the 21st Century. UCL Press.

3. Kaplan, A., & Haenlein, M. (2019). Rethinking AI: How Artificial Intelligence is Changing the World. Business Horizons.

4. UNESCO (2022). Artificial Intelligence and Education: Guidance for Policy-Makers.

5. Woolf, B. P. (2020). Building Intelligent Interactive Tutors: Student-Centered Strategies for Revolutionizing E-Learning. Morgan Kaufmann.

6. Anderson, J. R. (2020). Cognitive Psychology and Its Implications. Worth Publishers.

7. Decision of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, October 6, 2020.

8. S. K. Kenjayev, “Information Technologies and the Educational System”, Tashkent, 2021.

9. M. A. Usmanov, “Digital Education and Artificial Intelligence”, Tashkent, 2022. Luckin, R. (2018).

10. AI for Learning: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Education. Routledge.

11. Woolf, B. P. (2020). Building Intelligent Tutoring Systems. Morgan Kaufmann.

12. OECD (2021). AI in Education: Challenges and Opportunities. Paris: OECD Publishing.

1

writing a book

thinking of what

to cook

aiming two birds

an eyepatched man

— Christina Chin/Uchechukwu Onyedikam

2

a bit 

of a kick 

sweet and sour 

sauce on fried 

catfish

— Uchechukwu Onyedikam/Christina Chin

3

condiments 

on a pink tilapia 

steamer tray

the hot steam

swirls

— Christina Chin/Uchechukwu Onyedikam

iPRAY

I think of this everyday 

of smile & beauty that

projects the free caresses of divinity; swaying my thoughts left to right — 

back & forth as i once pushed it to the digital wind to help me transport

my prayers to you. 

In the dark quiet time 

when I set sail my inner wounded child 

to the current of time… 

I see collection of your image — 

noticing your face breaks in smile welcoming me to your forbidden 

Throne of Grace.

I try smashing through these walls

raised with bricks & iron bars 

to reach you and relay thoughts 

of undoings but reality…

stacks up its odds against me 

with certainty of false affection to come. 

— Uchechukwu Onyedikam

HIGHER-SELF

Thrown underfoot… pressure of

footfall from heavy steel boots

my heart laps on the edge

of kindliness

Sitting there absorbing different

scene from precious moments

lost in the latter time I fell off

of the reason to remain in

this shipwreck

My higher self has risen, broken free

from mortal consciousness of pity

and ego, of arrogance and lustful pride

of spite and hate, of jealousy and envy

of give and take, of here and there

The sleeves of the universe

unfolded clarity this morning that I now

recognize in the shadows — nurturing

in my soul the cherry that bloomed in

the dark: oh, behold the spirited soul!

could you body it? 

— Uchechukwu Onyedikam

GENDER BOX

A highly celebrated Yogi

An ardent Haj going Maulavi

Keeper of commandments 

A “holy than thou” Christian saint

Together they went to the heaven’s gate

O, keeper of the cosmic records

Open the gate of heaven

Let us in, they said in one voice

The keeper of the gate said

Go back to earth

And bring back your other halves

Only complete person is allowed

We sent you together

And together you shall return

All three were dismayed

What does he mean by the other half ?

They asked him

which other half you are talking about, Sir

The wise gate keeper replied

Where is the woman ? 

Further the keeper of gate added

You three acted as male chauvanists

You lived in the prison of gender

Never came out of gender box

You never respected your other half

You must know that every man has whole genome

Male and female together

So does every woman

O Yogi, you pride yourself

For your self contemplation

Yet you never allowed single meditation

Upon the greatness of feminine divine

You never tried to know

How to turn your blood into “liquid love” 

To feed the liquid love – the milk for the babe

How to have infinite patience

While incubating the eggs or

Waiting upon the child

You never tried to contemplate

Why woman chose her costume ?

With a rucksack in front

To practice the self sacrificing

To offer her back to the wolves

But to keep the love child safe.

O, self claimed pious Maulavi

You kept your woman under the tent

She was not the mother of your children

But a reproductive machine

Who after birth

Handed over the child to you

So you could make a swordsman

For your insatiable greed of empire

building

O, keeper of holy commandments

You made a playboy of yourself

The woman was stripped naked

To boast of a civilized world

For your burning desires of material consumption

You made a advertising Mannequin of the divine feminine

I know you all three are cursing me

But the truth must prevail

For in heaven

Only one dharma has dominion

That is the dharma of truth

Wise ones say thus

There is no religion greater than religion of truth ( सत्यात् नास्ति परो धर्मः)

So please go back to earth 

And only return when you are complete human being

Then, the Yogi implored thus

O, divine self be our Guru

And give us the discerning eye

The wisdom eye (उपनयन) that sees only truth.

The divine gate keeper said thus

You must come out of the gender box

Either you contemplate the feminine divine of your genome

Or be a woman in next birth

So you can be witness to the glory

of feminine divine.

And incorporate the truth in your DNA

Know it well gentlemen,

The gender box is the last gate upon earth

And it equally applies to women as well

And every man and woman must come out of their gender boxes

Before you could reach to the gate of heaven.

And let the truth prevail upon earth.

June 14, 2018

……..

Divine Woman

Evolution lovingly refined a woman

Indeed so much more than a man

Crowning her with deeply loving attitude

And with life sustaining deep ecology of gratitude.

Godly attitudes come to a woman

More naturally than a man

Love, empathy, care and patience

Come to her more easily than beastly violence.

Evolution wrapped her body into a beautiful dress

And gave her a tiara of a living goddess

She is embodiment of divine human passion

Evolution made her mother of human nation.

How a man allows the beast to dominate him ?

Why a man gives in to his animalistic whim ?

Why a man behaves so insane and wild ?

Violating a sister, mother and an innocent girl child.

It is high time that all earth nations of man

Rise above gender injustice and sadistic pain

Man must transcend the beastly male chauvinism

His beast must evolve into divine human organism.

A LIGHT SNOWFALL ON THE SIDEWALKS

It is the time,

the Times,

to be writing

about…

the place I visit

as often as

Time allows–

Canada, to be

the place I write

about–

I know you

my country–

damn the politicians

and all the time

lies use their mouths,

to fool the clock,

fool us, fool the fools.

It is time,

the place I find

is my country–

Canada, I want

better for you–

can I speak of you

like you are a you?

Canada,

you allow me to know

travels, many times away,

as someone calls it–

“a time away”– I will

take it, Canada,

I want to write

about you–

damn the Liars!

All the time

it has taken me

to become, to merge

into the Times,

right here where we

can easily touch

something…or somehow

someone real close…

very real…please.

A DEFINITION OF FREEDOM

So far,

as a

Canadian,

I

can say

whatever

I want

to the

World.

WHY SHOULD I WRITE ABOUT LOVE

Robert Smith

unlike any other

Smith

has come through,

until this morning

his song titles

hadn’t reached me,

but today I

take upon me

the cure

and open

that which has always opened

when great songs

have reached me,

I have been through it,

and so have

so many others

who won’t allow themselves

to be shut down,

to be dumbed down,                            to be the witnesses,

to become the ones

you know you are,

as Allison Goldfrapp                            has asked us

to become, the ones

who must lead now,

the ones who knew

what to do with Love,

unlike me,

at the end

ready to walk endlessly

into all the voices

trying to be human,

but were fooled, were

led from their true voice,

were no different

than the voices of

the Wild, they didn’t know

they possessed,

the voices that led me

into a place

I never want to leave,

now the place, with you,

please stay with me.

Chad Norman, Truro, NS, Canada

His poems have appeared for nearly 40 years in literary publications across Canada, as well as a number of other countries around the world, also translated into Albanian, Spanish, Polish, Chinese, Turkish, Italian, Czech, Vietnamese, Portuguese,  and Hungarian.

In October 2016 he was invited by the Nordic Assn. for Canadian Studies to give talks on Canadian Poetry and read from his books at Borupgaard Gym in Copenhagen, and Risskov Gym in Aarhus, as well as other readings in both cities, and Malmo, Sweden. Because of that tour Norman started the manuscript, Counting Coins In Denmark And Sweden.

 In October of 2017 he read at various Eastern Canada venues in Kingston, Ottawa, and Montreal, reading poems from his Selected and New collection, published by Mosaic Press (Oakville, ON).

In October of 2018 he read at various types of venues from universities to cafes to pubs throughout Ireland, Scotland, Wales, while there he visited Swansea and slept three nights in the room where Dylan Thomas was born. A celebration of Canadian Poetry took place during this tour too.

His most recent books are a children’s picture book, B And Boy, 2023, Cyberwit. Net (India), and a new collection, Parental Forest,  out with AOS publications (Montreal).

Finally, Norman’s poem, The Shoulds, has been selected to be included in the Vagabond Lunar Collection, part of the time capsule scheduled for a Fall launch to the moon.

 He is currently a member of  The Writers Union Of Canada, PEN Canada, and a volunteers for 12 local crow families.

Review of Anna Keiko’s Painting: Contemporary Expression in the Context of Art History

By: Rizal Tanjung

Anna Keiko’s painting presents an expressionist approach with the use of vibrant colors and bold brushstrokes, creating a dynamic and emotionally charged composition. This work appears to be part of contemporary art, emphasizing individual expression and freedom of form. To understand Anna Keiko’s position in the evolution of world painting, we must examine the long history of visual art from prehistoric times to the contemporary era.

The Evolution of Painting: From Prehistory to Modernism

Painting has undergone a long evolution, reflecting humanity’s cultural and intellectual development.

1. Prehistoric and Ancient Art (40,000 BC – 476 AD)

The cave paintings in Lascaux, France, and Altamira, Spain, are early examples of human visual art.

Ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art began to show structured composition, perspective, and symbolism.

2. The Middle Ages (476 AD – 1400 AD)

Painting was dominated by religious iconography with Byzantine and Gothic styles.

The use of gold colors and flat perspectives reflected spiritual values rather than realism.

3. The Renaissance (1400 AD – 1600 AD)

Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael revolutionized art with scientific perspective and realistic human anatomy.

Art became more human-centered, emphasizing intellectual exploration.

4. Baroque and Rococo (1600 AD – 1800 AD)

Artists like Caravaggio and Rembrandt highlighted chiaroscuro (light-dark contrast).

Rococo was more decorative and feminine, with soft colors and pastoral themes.

5. Neoclassicism and Romanticism (1750 AD – 1850 AD)

These movements combined classical elegance with emotional expression.

Artists like Jacques-Louis David and Francisco Goya challenged academic traditions.

6. Impressionism and Post-Impressionism (1860 AD – 1900 AD)

Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh emphasized light effects and spontaneous colors.

Post-Impressionism (Gauguin, Cézanne) focused more on structure and emotion.

7. Modernism and Avant-Garde Movements (1900 AD – 1950 AD)

Cubism (Picasso, Braque) deconstructed forms.

Expressionism (Kandinsky, Munch) highlighted subjective emotions.

Surrealism (Dalí, Magritte) explored the subconscious.

Contemporary Art and Anna Keiko’s Position in Artistic Evolution

Anna Keiko appears to follow the path of abstract expressionism, which emerged after World War II, where freedom of expression became the core of artistic creation. Artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning popularized this style with spontaneous gestures and expressive use of color.

In her painting, Keiko combines intense contrasting colors and distorted figurative forms, reminiscent of German Expressionism (such as Egon Schiele) with a touch of Neo-Expressionism (such as Jean-Michel Basquiat). This combination suggests that she is part of the contemporary art movement, continuously exploring the boundaries of form, emotion, and interpretation.

Anna Keiko’s painting reflects the evolution of art, which has undergone numerous transformations from prehistoric times to the digital era. Through her expressive approach, she becomes part of a generation of contemporary artists who continue the tradition of experimentation and artistic freedom. In the context of art history, Keiko’s work manifests the modern spirit—unbound by classical rules but focusing on human expression and subjectivity.

West Sumatra, March 19, 2025.