Synchronized Chaos First of January 2026: What Makes Us Human

Silhouette of an adult person out at night near some pine trees with a view of the Milky Way
Image c/o Gerard Lipold

First, an announcement: published poet and contributor Tao Yucheng would like to host and judge a poetry contest open to all readers of Synchronized Chaos Magazine.

Synchronized Chaos Poetry Contest

We seek short, powerful, imaginative, and strange poetry. While we welcome all forms of free verse and subject matter, we prefer concise work that makes an impact.

Guidelines: Submit up to five poems per person to taoyucheng921129@proton.me. Each poem should not exceed one page (ideally half a page or less). All styles and themes welcome. Deadline for submissions will be in early March.

Prizes: First Place: $50 Second Place: $10, payable via online transfer. One Honorable Mention. Selected finalists will be published in Synchronized Chaos Magazine.

A second announcement: poet and regular contributor J.J. Campbell has a new book out, to live your dreams.

From the back of the book: J.J. Campbell’s work is an unflinching look into a life spent alone with the bottle and the page readily at hand. It is raw, honest, and uncompromising in every sense of the word. You are keyed into the fact that this is a writer who doesn’t sugarcoat a single line to ever soften the blow. Campbell’s work is perfect in that sense, and in this newest collection, you are getting a writer at the top of his form.

Now, for our first issue of 2026. This issue explores what makes us who we are, physically and psychologically, as individuals and as communities and nations.

Young light skinned man doing the breaststroke or butterfly stroke in a pool on a sunny day
Image c/o Vera Kratochvil

Nicholas Gunther explores what makes him human, where in his body his consciousness might be located. Kassandra Aguilera also speculates about her consciousness, considering what makes her feel alive.

Xudoyberdiyeva Mohiniso explores some Eastern and Western philosophical conceptions of what it means to live a conscious human life. Morley Cacoethes’ haikus also explore where and how we find inner wisdom and knowledge. Nilufar Mo’ydinova outlines themes of free will and the search for truth through experience in Goethe’s Faust.

Brian Michael Barbeito crafts a lyrical winter meditation on a person’s holding onto nature and his identity in an alienating new world. Satimboyeva Risolat echoes the importance of maintaining one’s personal values. Mahbub Alam urges people to draw on the wisdom they possess to make the world more just and healthier. Türkan Ergör considers the unpredictable nature of our lives and the need to choose kindness. Zeki Celic reminds us to make the most of the limited time we each have on earth as Stephen Jarrell Williams depicts characters choosing freedom, peace, and love.

Aliyeva Aziza Utkirovna points to the eyes as a place where humans reveal their inner feelings. Nurbek Norchayev’s evocative piece celebrates the power of poetry to convey emotion and sensibility. Aliyeva Zulaykho highlights the role of breath in vocal expression while reading texts.

Chloe Schoenfeld delves into Walter Gramatte’s painting of German artist, art historian, and social activist Rosa Schapire. She wonders how much of the craft of creating a likeness is about the subject and how much is about the associations the artist draws on to help them imagine and understand the person.

Painting of a gray haired woman seated in a wooden chair with necklaces and a white buttoned coat.
By Walter Gramatté

Shomurodova Dilafro’z Bahodir qizi explores approaches to Uzbek linguistics that focus more on the people creating texts rather than merely on the texts as isolated objects. Fayziyeva Hafiza Alisher qizi also looks at human life and culture’s influence upon languages.

J.K. Durick reflects on the seasons of life where we are observers, contemplating those around us or what has happened. Taylor Dibbert‘s poetic speaker considers his own role in the dissolution of his marriage. Bill Tope’s short story depicts family pulled apart, then back together, then apart again.

Dr. Jernail Singh urges parents to let their young adult children learn and work for their own dreams in life. Also, he reminds us to consider the legacies we leave behind for the rest of the world once we become successful enough to care for ourselves and our families. Tolqinova Marifatoi Shavkatjon qizi outlines research into approaches to social and vocational training for young adults.

Lan Qyqalla recollects his romance with his late wife as Adalat Eroglu versifies about a tender romance and Özcan İşler urges his love to remember him. Nasser Alshaikh Ahmed Arabia’s poetic mind wanders through the jasmine-scented depths and alleyways of love. Ramona Yolanda-Montiel considers an old and warm poncho as a sign of her family’s love. J.J. Campbell writes his way through another lonely, disillusioned holiday, wishing he had love and a close family.

Aleksandra Soltysiak wonders at gentle miracles at Christmas, within nature and within families. Gabriel Bates reflects on the ways he distracts and enjoys himself during holiday celebrations. S. Afrose sings of the joys of the Christmas season. Til Kumari Sharma highlights the beauty and value of the Christian faith at Christmas as Maja Milojkovic expresses gratitude to the archangel Michael. Kalipada Ghosh celebrates life, faith, love, and joy at the holiday season. Sardar Makhmudova’s short story shares how a little girl’s brave adventure lets her discover the meaning of the season, sharing love with others. Dr. Prasanna Kumar Dalai goes into poetic rapture about romantic love, world peace, and personal stillness.

Light skinned 30 something year old man in jeans and a gray sweater seated on a windowsill looking out at trees and the moon at night.
Image c/o Mahmoud Mohammed Hassan

Ahmed Miqdad laments the cold winter endured by Palestinian refugees in a call for global peace and justice. Pat Doyne reflects on the United States’ gun violence epidemic and the lack of progress to tackle it. Also, she speaks to the political chaos in America and its negative effects on consumer prices. Giulia Mozzati Zacco mourns the deaths of children in school shootings through the ancient form of the ghazal. Ziyoda Muradilova reflects on cultural pressures that social media has placed on the craft of journalism, to be fast, interactive, and appealing to readers, and how that poses challenges to the task of delivering truth.

Eva Petropoulou Lianou reminds us that true freedom is a society where people can live safely together, not merely the chance to serve ourselves at others’ expense. Dr. Jernail Singh reminds us that what goes around, comes around, both in terms of the legal system and the religious concept of karma. Duane Vorhees points out that concepts such as justice and poetry and perception should not remain purely abstract but carry practical meanings in the real world.

Abdulrazaq Godwin Omeiza considers how formal education taught him the facts of history, but poetry showed him how to survive it. Ruqaya Mehran, interviewed by poet Eva Petropoulou Lianou, discusses her work as a museum guide, influencer, and historian of ancient Egypt. Dylan Lloyd speaks to the emerging, burgeoning magic of creativity. Taro Hokkyo’s short story illustrates the power of self-belief in overcoming oppression and obstacles. Zaxina Tohirova highlights the lessons we can learn from failure and perseverance. Aziza Xasamova urges us through piercing prose not to give up, whatever happens in our lives.

Ahmed Farooq Baidoon revels in togetherness and merriment at the New Year. Kujtim Hajdari expresses high hopes and dreams for the New Year as Imran Khan moves forward into 2026 with optimism and Jacques Fleury tosses in his New Year wishes for all of our readers. Bruce Roberts contributes a splash of whimsy in his Wacky New Year poem. Valentina Yordanova’s poetry, translated by Yoana Konstantinova, reflects on the joy of Christmas and the self-reflection encouraged in the New Year as Dr. Ratan Bhattacharjee marches forth into 2026 with hope and strength. JoyAnne O’Donnell renews her hopes and dreams as time marches forward. Argentinian poet Graciela Noemi Villaverde takes joy in her December 21st birthday, the summer solstice where she lives, and Fernando Jose Martinez Alderete reflects on nature’s rest and preparation for regrowth during winter.

Synchronized Chaos contributor Jacques Fleury, a young Black man in a black suit and red tie and dark sunglasses, on a golden Christmas ornament with red and green decor, on a Christmas tree.
Image c/o Jacques Fleury

Elza Hansen celebrates the maternal and paternal love at the heart of the Christmas holiday. Abu Rayhan Beruni connects the importance of strong families to a strong nation.

Dildora Khojyozova highlights the cultural renaissance of the nation of Uzbekistan as Diyorbek Elmirzayev looks at Uzbekistan’s increasing government debt as an outgrowth of economic growth and investments in modernization. Lolaxon Sodiqxonova highlights the importance of gender equality and initiatives to empower Uzbek women in economics and education. Dilshoda Nodir qizi Nurboboyeva presents strategies for educating and raising children without gender stereotypes. Priyanka Neogi urges women around the world to move forward with self-respect, creativity, and independence. Ashraf Al-Mismar provides a literary analysis of gender, identity, and migration in his novel Soul Shards.

Communication is integral to intercultural understanding and migration. Shaxriniso Savranboyeva outlines various approaches to translating idioms across languages and cultures. Saminjon Khakimov points to how language instructors can harness the phenomenon of code-switching, reverting to one’s native tongue, in the classroom. Abdurashidova Sabina Eldarovna highlights teen code-switching, from normal language to chat-speak and slang. Eshpo’latova Xilola highlights the role of audiovisual teaching aids in enhancing students’ foreign language acquisition. Ruziyeva Sitora outlines why and how English is still considered a global language as Ubaydullayeva Saodat discusses the role of English in international travel.

Abdullayeva Feruza suggests visual activities that help accentuate young children’s learning. Yusupov Otajon Ulug’bek ogli outlines various creative approaches to teaching and learning foreign languages. Gulsevar Amirqulova encourages teachers to practice and develop their own creativity as part of professional development. Jo’ranazova Dilobar Dilmurod qizi highlights different ways to teach young children their mother tongue. Nasulloyeva Feruzabonu expounds on the value of science and technology education for society in ways that go above and beyond the practical. Dr. Jernail Singh Anand urges society and our educational system to teach wisdom and the humanities rather than simply focusing on speeding up students’ financial success. Bahora Akmalova considers approaches to teaching preschool children social skills in a classroom setting. Rupa Rao interviews writing mentor Balachandran Nair about his work with emerging authors.

Eva Petropoulou Lianou interviews Dr. Reda Abdel Rahim, inspector of Egyptian antiquities at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, about his work with artifacts of his nation’s past. Jeffrey Spahr-Summers’ digitally altered photographs glimpse a more recent past, giving homes and street scenes a hazy, nostalgic feel.

Artistically altered and hazy image of a yellow skyscraper bank building. Blue awning below for a Ben and Jerry's.
Image c/o Jeffrey Spahr Summers

Sayani Mukherjee’s imagistic work explores nature, love, loss, and the concept of home. Natasha Leung draws on oceans and canoes as a metaphor for a couple who are separated all too often. Eleanor Hazel Hill reflects on physical mementos of summer fun. Yusufjonova O’gilxon revels in the chill pleasantries of winter. Soumen Roy looks to a river metaphor to express consistent flow, purpose, humility and resilience. Dr. Byeong-Cheol Kang evokes the resoluteness and strength of an eagle. Kujtim Hajdari highlights ecological themes in his review of Eva Petropoulou’s poetry. Axmadqulova Sapuraxon shares ideas for educating preschool children about the environment. A group of youth in China submits various short poems inspired by natural scenes. Alan Catlin patters out imagistic pieces inspired by various Japanese words for rain as O’rinboyeva Zarina speculates on life on a planet where rain is a rarity. Robert Beckvall reflects on his life’s winding path and how it deposited him on the lush big island of Hawaii. Mesfakus Salahin looks to the longer-lasting natural world for absolution from his complex memories. Riley Winters laments human exploitation of animals and the wilderness.

Mykyta Ryzhykh evokes the inextricable natures of life and death. Alyssa Trivett graphically renders the aftermath of a car accident. Nilufar Yoldoshova outlines similarities and differences between Uzbek and Korean funeral customs. Tea Russo’s work dramatizes the soul-killing effects of grief, loneliness, and shame. Gabriel Kang’s work exposes exploitation disguised as progress and love. Robin Beernaert outlines the psychological impact of a griever’s journey through poetry and prose.

Jessica Vanderwall composes an emotionally complex love letter to herself. Daniela Chourio-Soto reflects on the power of dreams to express and warn us about feelings in our waking lives. Joshua Obirija paints a lower-case portrait of the grief and lostness driving his writing.

Adrina Esparas-Hope crafts a graphic image of visceral love that could be a metaphor for creative pursuits. Brian Barbeito lets go of the need to understand everything before he can experience beauty and mystery. Texas Fontanella’s work revels in color and improvisation, reminiscent of jazz and electronica. Mark Young artistically alters geographical maps of checkerboards and Australian regions. Grant Guy intentionally erases parts of painted and typed texts as an artistic experiment. Zamira Moldiyeva Bahodirovna encourages readers and students to take up a refreshing and creative hobby. Federico Wardal explores the career and casting decisions of artists’ manager Adriano Aragozzini.

More practical fields can be creative as well. Shahlo Rustamova explores the role of discrete mathematics, particularly combinatorics, in understanding biological structures. Farangiz Musurmonova urges Uzbek accounting frameworks to match those of international professional standards. Medical student O’roqova Nargiza outlines the importance of salivary glands in the human body. Normurodova Salina Saitkulovna discusses how the medical field prepares for pandemics. Ahmedova Dilorom Mahmudovna highlights the progress of medical therapies for cancers caused by human papillomavirus.

We hope that this issue will inspire your creativity!

Essay from Abdullayeva Feruza

Young Central Asian woman with long dark hair and earrings in a blue and black graduation cap and gown standing on stage next to a flag.

Abdullayeva Feruza

Profi University

Field of study: Preschool Education and Methodology

Puchon University

Master’s student in Educational Management

Types of Visual Activities in Preschool Educational Institutions

Puchon University

Field of Study: Educational Management

Student of Group 1-C

Abdullayeva Feruza Khayrulla qizi

Middle group teacher at Preschool Educational Institution No. 18,

Gulistan City, Syrdarya Region

ABSTRACT

This article highlights the role of visual activities in the comprehensive development of children in Preschool Educational Institutions (PEIs), as well as their importance in the formation of aesthetic knowledge. Visual activities contribute significantly to the intellectual, emotional, and creative growth of preschool children.

Keywords: visual activities, didactic materials, colored pencils, herbariums.

Introduction

Relevance of the Topic

In preschool educational institutions, visual activities help develop analytical and synthetic thinking skills in children whose cognitive abilities are still insufficiently developed. Through visual activities, children are taught to perceive and represent the world through various colors, enrich their imagination, and learn to protect and care for nature and animals.

Object of the Research

The process of conducting visual activity lessons in preschool educational institutions and the observance of safety rules by teachers during the organization of these activities.

Main Part

A. Types of Visual Activities

Types of visual activities refer to the process of depicting objects, phenomena, or imagined images from the surrounding environment using various tools. This is a creative activity primarily based on visual perception and representation, and it is manifested in the following forms:

1. Drawing – Graphics and painting are widely used in preschool educational institutions within this field.

2. Sculpting – The use of three-dimensional forms. This method is applied when children create various objects using clay. It contributes to the development of fine motor skills and sensory perception. For example, children learn to distinguish between hard and soft, big and small objects.

3. Decorative and Applied Art (patterns and ornaments) – This type is mainly used with senior and preparatory group children, as they are capable of decorating with aesthetic taste. Considering the creative thinking and ability of older preschool children to create images, this activity can be effectively implemented.

4. Design Activities – Interior design, exterior design, clothing design, and others.

B. Materials and Tools

White paper, colored paper, and cardboard – Essential materials for creating visual works. In preschool educational institutions, white and colored paper and cardboard are widely used in visual activities.

Handout materials – Cards or various objects appropriate to the age group and topic, which help children acquire new knowledge.

Construction sets – LEGO blocks and sets designed for assembling parts, such as Mosaic, Tangram, and the Columbus Egg. These sets enable children to learn unconventional forms of sculpting.

Herbariums – Collections of dried plants commonly used in education, scientific research, or decorative and applied art. Flowers, leaves, and various plants collected during walks with preschool children can be dried and used in creative activities. For example, dried straw can be used to create decorative fairy-tale characters or animate certain scenes.

Colored pencils – Pencils of various colors used for drawing, coloring, and creative activities. They are generally divided into three types:

1. Standard colored pencils – Wooden pencils used for coloring.

2. Watercolor pencils – Coloring tools that produce color when mixed with water.

3. Pastel pencils – Soft pencils that produce bright and vivid colors.

Porcelain dough – Due to its properties, such as softness, flexibility, smoothness, and ability to take any desired shape, it is convenient for creative activities.

In preschool educational settings, children can also be shown that natural dyes can be obtained by cutting red beetroot into pieces and applying it to paper.

Conclusion

The conducted analysis shows that through various types of visual activities, children enrich their inner world, develop aesthetic taste, learn to perceive nature and the environment, and are taught not to harm them. In addition, visual activities help children understand changes occurring in the surrounding world, including seasonal changes in nature.

Expected Results

During visual activity sessions, children learn to complete tasks in an orderly manner without disturbing others, respect one another, share learning materials, and work collaboratively. Upon completion of the activity, children experience satisfaction and joy from their own work.

References

1. Sakulina, N. R. Drawing, Appliqué, and Clay Work in Kindergarten.

2. Kamorova, T. S. Visual Arts Lessons.

3. Khasanova, T. Sh. Teaching Visual Activities. Tashkent, 2020.

4. Mahmudova, O. A., & Mahmudova, S. A. Technologies of Working with Plastic Materials in the Preschool Education System (Textbook). Tashkent, 2019.

5. Abdirasilov, S. F. Methods of Teaching Visual Arts. Tashkent, 2012.

6. Shodiyev, A. S. Preschool Education Pedagogy. Tashkent, 2018.

Poetry from Jessica Vanderwall

Love Letter to Myself

Love letters don’t have to be happy.

And if I were to write one to you I know it would have to be sad

Just like it would be if I were writing to anyone else

So I would write to you as if you were someone other than myself

I would not write you a letter about how much I love you

I would write you a letter about my love.

I would write to you:

Dear whatever you would like to be called,

By name or by another thing that calls to you

I could call you stars

Because I do think you shine like them and you’re scattered like them

And you don’t shine half as bright as the other lights do but maybe that’s okay

Or I could call you tree

Because you seem to keep wanting to be or thinking you are

Being stepped on by rubber soles that will slip and fall and it’s all your fault

Or I could call you mine

A pickup line that would never really work unless you looked unlike you do

But in this case you are mine and I am yours we are each other and I could call you

Or I could call you nothing at all.

There’s so much I want to say to you and so little that I do.

Words are less than feelings, I think.

I don’t think I could describe everything I feel for you only in words

But I’ll try to paint a picture of you with your own fingertips:

You are in a tree,

And I know you say that a lot,

You are the tree or you are in the tree but I think it fits,

Because you feel safe in trees and you feel safe here in this letter

And you would sleep in a tree if you wouldn’t fall out

And you’d dream of falling up into the sky

In that beautiful blue that you love so much because it feels to you like a color that’s been lost

To the dull of the modern world but when you see the stars that have been for billions of years

You see the light again and you are happy.

I love how you can be happy.

How when you smile through your eye bags

I imagine I see little stars twinkling in the brown of your irises.

I love how you giggle when anything happens that you like

And I love how it sounds when you laugh.

I love that you laugh at everything even if it isn’t funny because to you it is

I love how you try to calm down when you’re excited but you never can

I love how your dimple on the left side of your face

Shows up when you smile

or when you frown

I love how you can be sad.

How when you cry through your eye bags

I imagine I see little stars shining in the tears in your eyes.

I love how you cry whenever you get upset

Because it shows you have real emotion, you are a sensitive person

I love that you cry at everything even if it isn’t upsetting because to you it is

I love how you listen to sad music and it only makes you sadder

I love how much you feel.

Love letters don’t have to be happy.

But I find that this one has strangely turned out to be.

Maybe I do love you, and so then you love me

Even though there’s a lot of things I still haven’t said

Like I hate how you hate yourself and your face, and your body

I hate how you look when you smile and I hate how you look when you cry

I hate how you’re not cool and everyone else is

But I know that you know about the things that I hate.

Because you hate them too.

Because you never stop and think about the things that you love about yourself,

Except for the occasional selfie that you delete the day after

Because what were you even gonna do with it anyway?

You’re just not all that, you think. But I think you are.

And I think you love yourself anyway.

You must love yourself because I know I love you.

I love you.

Love,

You

Poetry from Morley Cacoethes

Somebody, light this

joint for me so we can pass

zen in a circle.

a bottle of red wine

in primordial forest:

man’s next telescope

I live, a Buddhist.

Is this why your manger chills,

plastic baby Christ?

Poetry from Nurbek Norchayev

Central Asian man with short dark hair and a black coat over a white top and black pants and dress shoes.

Gazing Into the Boundless

A tiny puddle is a mirror!

and the one gently peering in

is the dandelion.

A flower gazes at its own reflection

in the tear-drops of the clouds.

2Like an old man,

the cherry tree is bent with age…

Yet youth blooms in every branch.

The only thing my soul needs

is a walking stick.

A bud is joy,

a flower is flame.

It came into this world

to burn.

The wind ploughs through the flowerbed;

one flower falls beneath another…

A flowerpot under a flowerpot—my perplexity is faster than a racehorse.

If destiny allows,

I would build a minaret—as grand as a pharaoh’s pyramid—out of a single poem.

I would plant flowers

all around it.

Then I would climb it gently

and gaze upon the world and its people.

I would ask applause for my poems

from whoever has read them—if anyone has.

I cherish poetry deeply,

even though it wounds my heart.

Wandering through astonishing flower gardens,

I place poetry

as a crown upon my head.

Let people send me their love

and call me king—I no longer mind.

Silence is comforting;

it buries the cries and sounds

of sorrow.

The morning sun is magnificent:

the flowers can hear

the sound of its light.

These mountains stand proud;

they pay no mind

to those who pass beneath them.

The sky is a vast embrace—wide enough to hold

every glance.

The poet is the guide of my soul;

from the light of faith

my feelings begin to bloom.

(Translated by Azam Abidov)

Nurbek Norchayev is a representative of modern Uzbek poetry and a poet. He was born on April 18, 1993, in Koson district of Kashkadarya region, Republic of Uzbekistan.

Poetry from Mesfakus Salahin

South Asian man with reading glasses and red shoulder length hair. He's got a red collared shirt on.
Mesfakus Salahin

Memorial

‎Memory does not do much harm without traces

‎That day, I suddenly found a memory

‎In the longitudinal section of the rib bone

‎I was overwhelmed with love and happiness

‎The tired heart swam in the water of my eyes

‎Promises were scattered from the soul,

‎A supernatural promise

‎The wound wanted to settle

‎But like many, I am nostalgic myself

‎So I postponed the amputation.

‎A memory from the tomb of the river said,

‎’People who have lost their memory are helpless’

‎Even blood stirs up a thousand memories

‎The memories of the world never retire

‎You will return – I know it is pointless

‎Still, it is for a dignified life.

‎One day I went to see the sea

‎There were countless memories on the beach

‎I picked up memories from the pebbles

‎Some memories shouted

‎’Forgive me, forgive me’

‎I couldn’t express my tears for you

‎The ocean’s tears were filled with memories

‎I didn’t pronounce it clearly with my open chest

‎Your name that you gave me

‎The ocean waited for me

‎I waited for your embrace.

‎One day the rain touched my past

‎It wanted to give me freedom

‎It couldn’t erase all the sorrow

‎And couldn’t separate me from the sorrow

‎By the one who taught me to love

‎Only you can give me a river free from sorrow.

‎You know, memories are eternal, heavenly

‎Revived in solitude

‎I will feel pride in your memory

‎As long as I live

‎I too have secret memories

‎There is the sorrow of losing my soul

‎Who will pay the price of losing my soul?

‎Memories mixed with the intoxicating air

‎Who can afford to ignore it?

‎I continuously drink the essence of memories

‎Feelings hanging from a window filled with sadness

‎I remove the window curtain and see the horizon line

‎Where the poetic essence merges with the essence of me.

‎No one questions the wind above my head,

‎The ground beneath my feet,

‎The waves of adolescence,

‎The dreams of youth,

‎The stars falling in the darkness,

‎The stopped watch –

‎How have they kept me?

‎Don’t you ask – at what price is memory sold,

‎at what price is time sold?

‎I haven’t learned to sell memory

‎I haven’t learned to sell time

‎I couldn’t bow my head like a slave for a moment.

‎Now the poetry shops are not crowded

‎Like the forbidden shops are crowded

‎Poetry does not glorify the soul

‎Because you do not recite the exiled poem

‎Open the window of the soul once

‎Purify my tears

‎With breath, purify the soil

‎Purify our surroundings again

‎Let’s drink together morning, afternoon, evening

‎Let’s drink hand in hand the song of time

‎Let’s release the anxious stars

‎Let’s embrace the earth deeply.

Poetry from Fernando José Martínez Alderete 

Middle aged Mexican man with short dark hair seated in a bakery holding a book and wearing a gray tee shirt.

The Midnight Bloom

Fernando José Martínez Alderete  México

The garden sleeps in silver frost, Beneath a moon of white, While all the summer leaves are lost To winter’s quiet night.

But see, against the coming cold, A single petal wakes, With stories that are yet untold And paths the spirit takes.

A rose of red in January, Upon the frozen vine, A spark of hope, a sanctuary, Where old and new entwine.

It does not fear the changing year, Or what the winds may bring, It holds the secret, soft and clear: That winter dreams of spring.

So let us bloom like this tonight, Though bitter winds may blow, And find our own internal light Amidst the falling snow.

CLOCK

Fernando José Martínez Alderete, México

The clock is leaning toward the edge of night, A heavy weight of months begins to fade. We stand between the shadow and the light, Beside the ghost of every choice we’ve made. The calendar is thinning, leaf by leaf, Until the final pulse, the final breath, A mixture of our triumph and our grief, Is laid to rest beneath the winter’s wreath.

But look—the dark is not an empty space, It is the soil where tomorrow sleeps. The universe prepares a quiet place For every promise that a spirit keeps. The old year was a teacher, stern and wise, Who taught us how to bend but never break, Who showed us how the sun will always rise, Despite the lonely paths we had to take.

So let the midnight bells begin to chime, To wash the dust from every tired soul. We are the weavers of this fabric, Time, And every broken thread can be made whole. Discard the heavy cloak of ‘what has been,’ The bitter words, the burdens, and the fear. A golden gate is opening within, To welcome in the dawning of the year.

The path ahead is silent, soft, and deep, Unmarked by any footstep but your own. There are a thousand promises to keep, And fields of joy that yet remain unsown. May courage be your compass through the gale, May kindness be the lantern in your hand, For even when the strongest spirits fail, New hope will rise like tides upon the sand.

So here we stand, upon the silver line, With hands outstretched to touch the coming day. The stars above in silent witness shine, As old regrets begin to melt away. Drink deep the air, the morning, and the light, The world is born again, forever new. The sun is climbing high above the night, And all the sky is waiting just for you.

Dr. Fernando Martinez Alderete

Writer, poet, theater actor, radio producer. Born in Leon Guanajuato, Mexico on April 21,1977, President of Mil Mentes Por México in Guanajuato. Dr. HC, global leadership and literature. His poems are published in more than 200 anthologies in fifteen countries around the world and he is the author of ten books, of poetry, short stories and novels.