Using English fluency formula to improve student’s speaking skill

Olimova Shahina Botirjon qizi

                Students of Uzbekistan State World Language University

Scientific advisor: Kaljanova Gulmira 

Teacher of Uzbekistan State World Language University

Abstract: Speaking is a crucial skill for English learners, especially students who intend to study at international universities. Unfortunately, most students come across challenges with speaking skills. Mainly, the cause of the problem is lack of English practice. In social media, many videos and podcasts try to give secret methods and new ways to learn English, but the principles are quite simple and mostly nothing new. Students get a bit confused about which is the best, but nobody explains to them how to practice. The English fluency formula is one technique that provides a special way to improve speaking skills.

Аннотация: Умение говорить является важнейшим навыком для изучающих английский язык, особенно для студентов, которые собираются учиться в международных университетах. К сожалению, большинство студентов сталкиваются с трудностями в умении говорить. В основном, причиной проблемы является отсутствие практики английского языка. В социальных сетях множество видео и подкастов пытаются дать секретные методы и новые способы изучения английского языка, но принципы довольно просты и в основном не являются чем-то новым. Студенты немного путаются в том, что лучше, но никто не объясняет им, как практиковать. Формула беглости английского языка — это одна из методик, которая обеспечивает особый способ улучшения навыков разговорной речи.

Annotatsiya: Ingliz tilini o’rganuvchilar, ayniqsa xalqaro universitetlarda o’qish niyatida bo’lgan talabalar uchun gapirish juda muhim mahoratdir. Afsuski, ko’pchilik talabalar nutq qobiliyatlari bilan bog’liq qiyinchiliklarga duch kelishadi. Asosan, muammoning sababi ingliz amaliyotining etishmasligi. Ijtimoiy tarmoqlarda ko’plab videolar va podkastlar ingliz tilini o’rganishning yashirin usullari va yangi usullarini berishga harakat qiladi, ammo printsiplar juda oddiy va asosan yangilik emas. Talabalar qaysi biri eng yaxshisi haqida bir oz chalkashib ketishadi, lekin hech kim ularga qanday mashq qilishni tushuntirmaydi. Ingliz tilini ravonlik formulasi nutq ko’nikmalarini yaxshilashning maxsus usulini ta’minlovchi usullardan biridir.

Keywords: English fluency formula, speaking skill, practicing English communicative skills.

Ключевые слова: формула беглости английского языка, навык говорения, отработка навыков общения на английском языке.

Kalit so’zlar: Ingliz tilini ravonlik formulasi, so’zlashuv mahorati, ingliz tilida kommunikativ ko’nikmalarni mashq qilish.

Introduction: English is an international language that is mainly used in social media networks, and most information on websites is given in English. Apart from that, English is the main communicative language across the world that can help students to build strong relationships with international students. Effective speaking skills improve social interactions and help build relationships and built confidence. The English fluency formula could help them not only to improve their speaking skills but also to enhance their language source. This formula consists of 3 parts, including studying, practicing, and time, which result in fluency.

Formula: (S+P) x T=F

S=study

P=practice

T=time

How to study

The study part of the formula has two main secrets. Firstly, students need to try to study in context and avoid word lists. For example, if learners use a grammar book, they need to utilize it as a reference; they should not study the whole book.

Study steps:

1.Know current level.

Students could know their level through online tests or ask teachers to check their knowledge.

2. Choose the text at a suitable level.

It can be an audio text, video, or written text. It has been suggested that the chosen text or video should be above the learner’s level. If it is appropriate for the learner, it will be more engaging for them to learn English. Students could find their own resources, or even better, they can choose a coursebook. The coursebook is a great way to boost speaking skills because it’s all in one place.

3. Read, listen, and watch.

In that place, students need to watch English content for enjoyment instead of analyzing it. They should just read, look, listen to the video or film, and not overcomplicate the process. Because if they watch videos for only academic purposes, they can get bored with studying, and they will not be motivated to carry on.

4.Analyze the text.

In this part, students do a deep analysis of selected text and try to find new vocabularies as well as grammar structures in the text. After that, they search for new knowledge on the internet to know the exact meaning and learn how to use it.

How to practice

The main concern among students is how to practice speaking during the learning process. As technology is developing day by day, students have more options for practicing with other learners. One of the best ways is using ChatGPT. In that program, they can choose one topic to discuss, and they convey ideas, and ChatGPT asks questions to facilitate a discussion. Additionally, students may engage in structured debates on various topics that allow them to articulate their ideas. It not only helps to improve their speaking skills but also broadens their horizons and improves critical thinking.AI programs could help students with pronunciation practice. Students read passages aloud and ask to give feedback on pronunciation and suggestions. Most importantly, after speaking, ChatGPT gives feedback on areas for improvement, such as vocabulary usage, sentence structure, and pronunciation. Through this, students know their mistakes and can correct them with enough practice.

There are two main ways to practice:

1.Alone. 

In that case, students can efficiently use YouTube for improving their speaking ability. While watching one video, students can pause and repeat the sentence that they hear. Sometimes they can change words, tense, or even the structure of sentences. It is like a shadowing technique that helps students to boost their speaking skills.

2.Practicing with others. 

Students can speak with people who intend to learn English. In this method, they need to choose a person who has the same level as them. They can use Google to find topics, and they should have 20 minutes of talk a day. 

For alone practice, there are kind of three good ways:

1.One of the controlled ones, where students should just repeat sentences in the video.

2.Semi-controlled. 

In this way, students may change the structure, vocabulary, and words. While they are repeating, they can change a word, or they even can add some new information. 

3.Free practice. 

This way is wider as compared to others. Students need to find some phrases that they have not seen before. After that they will make a story, trying to use those phrasal verbs. It is always a good idea to record when they are practicing alone. They have a chance to listen back and find mistakes. This method is helpful for lone learners because they can not get feedback from others.

Research and discussion:

The English fluency formula is one of the effective techniques that helps students to develop improved communication skills. The research was conducted in a university class. For observation, first-year students were taken during 2 weeks. Every lesson, teachers tried to teach using the English fluency formula. In the first week, they selected one interesting YouTube website and started to watch one video every lesson. The video was about educational theories; students independently chose it based on their interest. In the second week, they began to analyze the video and found new vocabularies as well as grammatical structures; they wrote all of them down. Additionally, students imitated characters with gestures. Teachers requested to learn deeply what they had written. Finally, when teachers got interviews from students to check their speaking ability, improvements were seen in vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and fluency.

Conclusion:

Speaking is a vital skill in learning English that needs to be mastered by students. Most students have problems with lack of practice with others, which makes students levels low. The English fluency formula aimed to help learners improve their English language skills and enhance fluency. Based on research given above, it is proven that the English fluency formula can help students to improve their fluency, pronunciation, grammar, and overall ability to speak. During research, students were able to learn new knowledge and find more information on topics they were interested in. Lastly, with the imitation technique, students can speak more like a native speaker and learn more phrases that are usually used by natives.

References:

1. 1. Ur, Penny. (2012). A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory. Cambridge University Press.

2. Nation, I.S.P., & Newton, J. (2009). Teaching ESL/EFL Listening and Speaking. Routledge.

3. Lazaraton, Anne. (2001). Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches to the Study of Language Learning Strategies. In Language Learning Strategies in Independent Settings (pp. 25-50). University of Michigan Press.

4. Kukulska-Hulme, Agnes. (2009). “Will mobile learning change language learning?” ReCALL, 21(2), 157-165.

5. Thornbury, Scott. (2005). “How to Teach Speaking.” Pearson Education Limited.

6. Ellis, Rod. (2016). “The Study of Second Language Acquisition.” In Handbook of Second Language Acquisition (pp. 1-20). Routledge.

7.Richards, J.C., & Renandya, W.A.B. (2002). Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current Practice. Cambridge University Press.

8. Scrivener, J. (2010). Learning Teaching: The Essential Guide to English Language Teaching. Macmillan Education.

9. Thornbury, S. (2005). How to Teach Speaking. Pearson Longman.

10. Ur,P. (2012). A Course in English Language Teaching: Practice and Theory. Cambridge University Press.

11. Willingham,D.T.(2017). The Reading Mind: A Cognitive Approach to Understanding How the Mind Reads . Scribner Publishing

Tarjima nazariyasi va amaliyoti fanining asosiy tushunchalari va atamalari

 Andijon davlat chet tillari instituti 4-bosqich

 talabasi Tursunxo’jayeva Malika Abdusamat qizi                                

 abdusamadovnamalika@gmail.com

 ilmiy rahbar:Qodirova Nargiza

Annotatsiya:Tarjima nazariyasi va amaliyoti fanining asosiy tushunchalari va atamalari tarjima faoliyatini tashkil etuvchi muhim bilimlarni shakllantiradi. Tarjima nazariyasida o‘rganiladigan asosiy tushunchalar orasida “ekvivalentlik”, “yuzaki tarjima”, “qayta tarjima”, “stilistik tarjima” kabi atamalar muhim o‘rin tutadi. Tarjima nazariyasi va amaliyoti sohasida asosiy e’tibor tarjima jarayonidagi muammolarni hal qilish, madaniy va lingvistik farqlarni hisobga olgan holda to‘g‘ri va aniq tarjimani amalga oshirishga qaratiladi. Tarjima amaliyoti esa ilmiy, ijodiy va professional sohalarda qo‘llanilishi kerak bo‘lgan metodlarni va uslublarni o‘z ichiga oladi.

Kalit so‘zlar:tarjima nazariyasi, ekvivalentlik, yuzaki tarjima, stilistik tarjima, lingvistik farqlar, madaniyatlararo tarjima, tarjima usullari, tarjima jarayoni

Аннотация:Основные понятия и термины теории и практики перевода формируют важные знания, составляющие переводческую деятельность. Среди основных понятий, изучаемых в теории перевода, важное место занимают такие термины, как «эквивалентность», «поверхностный перевод», «повторный перевод», «стилистический перевод». В области теории и практики перевода основной упор делается на решение проблем в переводческом процессе, осуществление правильного и точного перевода с учетом культурных и языковых различий. Переводческая практика, с другой стороны, включает в себя приемы и приемы, которые следует применять в научной, творческой и профессиональной сферах.

Ключевые слова:теория перевода, эквивалентность, поверхностный перевод, стилистический перевод, лингвистические различия, межкультурный перевод, методы перевода, процесс перевода

Annotation:The basic concepts and terms of translation theory and practice form the important knowledge that constitutes the activity of translation. Among the basic concepts studied in translation theory, such terms as “equivalence”, “superficial translation”, “retranslation”, “stylistic translation” occupy an important place. In the field of translation theory and practice, the main emphasis is on solving problems in the translation process, implementing correct and accurate translation, taking into account cultural and linguistic differences. Translation practice, on the other hand, includes techniques and techniques that should be applied in the scientific, creative, and professional fields.

Keywords:translation theory, equivalence, superficial translation, stylistic translation, linguistic differences, cross-cultural translation, translation methods, translation process

Bu soha tilshunoslikning boshqa bo‘limlari bilan yaqindan bog‘liq bo‘lib, ularning o‘zaro aloqalari va ta’siri tarjima jarayonida muhim o‘rin tutadi.

Tarjima – madaniyatlar, tillar va xalqlar o‘rtasida ko‘prik vazifasini bajaruvchi murakkab jarayondir. Tarjima nazariyasi va amaliyoti esa ushbu jarayonni ilmiy asosda o‘rganadi, tarjima faoliyatining qonuniyatlari, usullari va muammolarini tadqiq qiladi. Bugungi global dunyoda tarjima sohasi nafaqat adabiy yoki ilmiy sohalarda, balki siyosat, biznes va texnika sohalarida ham muhim rol o‘ynamoqda. Shu sababli tarjima nazariyasi va amaliyotining asosiy tushuncha va atamalarini mukammal bilish zamon talabi hisoblanadi.

Tarjima nazariyasi va amaliyoti fanining mohiyati:Tarjima nazariyasi tarjima faoliyatining umumiy tamoyillarini, asosiy qonuniyatlarini va uslubiy asoslarini o‘rganadi. Amaliy tarjima esa ushbu nazariy bilimlarni hayotga tatbiq qilish – ya’ni, konkret matnlarni bir tildan ikkinchisiga to‘g‘ri va samarali o‘girish faoliyatini anglatadi.

Tarjima nazariyasi va amaliyoti bir-biri bilan chambarchas bog‘liq bo‘lib, nazariya amaliyotni yo‘naltiradi, amaliyot esa nazariyani boyitadi va rivojlantiradi.

Asosiy tushunchalar va atamalar

1. Tarjima (Translation).Tarjima — bir tildagi matn (manba til) mazmunini boshqa bir tildagi matnga (nishon til) to‘g‘ri, aniq va iloji boricha tabiiy shaklda yetkazib berish jarayonidir.

2. Manba til va nishon til (Source Language and Target Language).Manba til – tarjima qilinayotgan matn yozilgan asl til. Nishon til – matn tarjima qilinadigan til.

3. Ekvivalentlik (Equivalence).Tarjimada matnning ma’no jihatdan tengligini saqlash zarurati. Ekvivalentlik turli darajalarda (leksik, grammatik, stilistik va pragmatik) namoyon bo‘lishi mumkin.

4. Adekvant tarjima (Adequate Translation).Manba matnning ma’no va shakl xususiyatlarini imkon qadar to‘liq va to‘g‘ri ifoda qiluvchi tarjima.

5. Tarjima transformatsiyalari (Translation Transformations).Til va madaniy tafovutlar sababli tarjima jarayonida amalga oshiriladigan o‘zgarishlar, masalan, omissiya (qoldirib ketish), generalizatsiya (umumlashtirish), konkretizatsiya (aniqlashtirish), almashtirish va hokazolar.

6. Intersemiotik tarjima (Intersemiotic Translation).Til belgilarini boshqa tizim (masalan, rasm, musiqa, kino) orqali ifodalash; Roman Jakobson tomonidan ilgari surilgan kontseptsiya.

7. Tarjima birliklari (Units of Translation).Tarjimada mazmunni saqlab qolishga xizmat qiladigan eng kichik birliklar – so‘z, fraza, gap yoki butun matn bo‘lishi mumkin.

8. Tarjima strategiyalari va usullari (Translation Strategies and Techniques).

Tarjimonning maqsadga erishish uchun tanlagan yondashuvlari. Masalan, so‘zma-so‘z tarjima, erkin tarjima, adaptatsiya, transkripsiya va translyiteratsiya.

Tarjima turlari

Tarjimaning ko‘plab turlari mavjud:Adabiy tarjima (badiiy asarlar tarjimasi),

texnik tarjima (fan va texnika sohasidagi matnlar), ijtimoiy-siyosiy tarjima, audiovizual tarjima (kino va seriallar subtitr va dublyaji), simultane tarjima (bir vaqtning o‘zida og‘zaki tarjima qilish), pismon tarjima (yozma matnlarning tarjimasi).

Tarjima nazariyasi: Bu soha tarjimaning ilmiy asoslari, tamoyillari, usullari va metodlarini o‘rganadi. Tarjima nazariyasining asosiy maqsadi tarjimaning muvaffaqiyatli va aniq bo‘lishini ta’minlash uchun kerakli ilmiy asoslarni ishlab chiqishdir.

2. Tarjima amaliyoti: Tarjima amaliyoti nazariyadan farqli ravishda tarjima jarayonining real sharoitda, ya’ni matnlarni tarjima qilishda qo‘llaniladigan usullarni va metodlarni o‘rganadi. Bu usullar tilning o‘ziga xos xususiyatlari, matnning maqsadi va auditoriyasiga qarab tanlanadi.

3. Lingvistik farqlar: Tarjima jarayonida tillar orasidagi grammatik, leksik va semantik farqlarni hisobga olish juda muhim. Har bir tilning o‘ziga xos struktura va ifoda vositalari mavjud bo‘lib, ularni boshqa tilga to‘g‘ri o‘zgartirish katta e’tibor talab qiladi.

4. Madaniyatlararo tarjima: Madaniy farqlarni hisobga olgan holda tarjima qilish ko‘p hollarda nazariy va amaliyotni o‘zaro bog‘laydi. Tarjimachi nafaqat tilni, balki tarjima qilinayotgan madaniyatni ham chuqur tushunishi kerak.

5. Ekvivalentlik: Tarjimaning eng muhim printsiplaridan biri, bu tarjima tilidagi ifodaning asl matndagi ma’no va tuzilishga to‘liq mos kelishini ta’minlashdir. Ekvivalentlik nafaqat so‘zma-so‘z tarjima qilishni, balki til va madaniyat farqlarini hisobga olishni ham anglatadi.

Xulosa qilib aytganda tarjima nazariyasi va amaliyoti fani tarjima jarayonining ilmiy va amaliy asoslarini o‘rganadi. Uning asosiy tushunchalari va atamalarini to‘g‘ri tushunish, tarjimonlik mahoratini oshirishda va turli sohalarda muvaffaqiyatli faoliyat yuritishda muhim rol o‘ynaydi. Bugungi globallashuv sharoitida tarjimonlardan nafaqat mukammal til bilimlari, balki nazariy tayyorgarlik va madaniy tafovutlarni hisobga olish qobiliyati ham talab qilinmoqda.

                                  Foydalanilgan adabiyotlar

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2. Shakirova, T. (2015). Tarjimada ekvivalentlik va adekvatlik: nazariy yondashuvlar. Samarqand: Samarqand Davlat Universiteti nashriyoti.

3. Jakobson, R. (1959). On Linguistic Aspects of Translation. Selected Writings, Volume 2. The Hague: Mouton.

4. Newmark, P. (1988). A Textbook of Translation. London: Prentice Hall.

5. Nida, E., & Taber, C. (2003). The Theory and Practice of Translation. Leiden: Brill.

6. Venuti, L. (2012). The Translator’s Invisibility: A History of Translation. London: Routledge.

7. Baker, M. (1992). In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation. London: Routledge.

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9. Karimov E., Xudoyberganova D. – Tarjima asoslari. Toshkent: Fan, 2005.

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12. Jo‘raev O. – Adabiy tarjima masalalari. Toshkent: G‘afur G‘ulom nomidagi adabiyot va san’at nashriyoti, 1979.

13. Xaitboeva L. – Tarjima va madaniyatlararo kommunikatsiya. Toshkent: Yangi asr avlodi, 2018.

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15. Jakobson R. – Til va tarjima nazariyasi (maqolalari).

16. E. Nida – Toward a Science of Translating (Tarjima nazariyasi asoschilari qatoridan).

First of all, we wish everyone a very happy Earth Day! Here’s a picture from regular contributing artist Jacques Fleury.

Poet and essayist Abigail George, whom we’ve published many times, shares the fundraiser her book’s press has created for her. She’s seeking contributions for office supplies and resources to be able to serve as a speaker and advocate for others who have experienced trauma or deal with mental health issues.

Also, the Educational Bookshop in Jerusalem, a store that has the mission of peaceful dialogue and education, invites readers to donate new or gently used books (all genres) that have been meaningful to them, with a note enclosed for future readers about why the books were meaningful. (The books don’t have to be about peace or social justice or the Mideast, although they can be). Please send books here. US-based Interlink Publishing has also started a GoFundMe for the store.

We’re also having a presence at the Hayward Lit Hop festival this year, and we encourage everyone to attend this free, all-ages event! Many local writers will share their work and we will also host an open mic.

Passing along a message from someone who contacted us. If you’re interested, please email Mark directly at jennybridge45@gmail.com

Hi there, As a seasoned coordinator of educational events, this is my official introduction. Mark is my name. I hope our conversations won’t be hampered by my hearing loss. For an upcoming workshop, I’m searching for an illustrator, cartoonist, or artist to work with on a project. I’ll go over the project needs in detail and pay your fees in advance if you can assist. Once I indicate what has to be depicted or drawn, you can estimate the cost.

Mark Stewart from Ohio, USA.

This month’s theme is Lost and Found.

Brian Barbeito shares a mindful reflection on walking a paved road, finding a human place in nature. Rustamova Asalay depicts a farmer in tune with the sun and the cycles of nature. Stephen Jarrell Williams contributes several different ways of looking at and interacting with a city plaza. David Woodward contemplates life and aging while observing his garden, yet to bloom. Sayani Mukherjee dreams of flowers, rivers and mortality, biological life undergirding a modern city. Grzegorz Wroblewski, in a second set of poetry translated by Peter Burzynski, probes the corporeal and how we nourish ourselves.

Maniq Chakraborty speaks to being a lost traveler on a psychological journey. David Sapp writes of ordinary people and the weight of regret for their past choices, whether justifiable or not. Mykyta Ryzhykh’s poetry portrays people trapped in memory or dreamtime. Graciela Noemi Villaverde laments our human limitations: mortality and fragmentary knowledge. Sheila Murphy addresses isolation, confusion, and the weakness of language when it comes to expressing inmost feelings.

Bokijonova Madinabonu Batirovna’s piece explores the universality of grief and how it fragments and hardens some people’s selves. Denis Emorine’s novella Broken Identities explores the weight of the past, even a past we didn’t live through, and how it affects our sense of self. Tamara Walker (T.A. Aehrens) explores the practical and psychological process of repentance and healing from cultural sins in her novel Leaves from the Vine in an interview with editor Cristina Deptula. Vo Thi Nhu Mai’s elegant, understated poems express the weight of memory and unanswered questions.

Eva Petropoulou Lianou’s poem, translated from Greek to English, and then to Bangla by Md. Sadiqur Rahman Rumen, expresses a warmer view of the past and nostalgia for the simple kindnesses of her childhood. Sterling Warner’s poetry revels in nostalgia, nature, and culture – from Silicon Valley to Oktoberfest. Mahbub Alam describes in great detail the Bangladeshi New Year celebration. Rashidova Shaxrizoda pays homage to her cultural past and the poetic heritage of Alisher Navoi. Kylian Cubilla Gomez looks at nature and culture with a whimsical and curious eye. Lilian Dipasupil Kunimasa learns from the past while planning for the future and playfully musing about the present.

Nigar Nurulla Khalilova’s poetic speaker leaves a beloved to pursue artistic dreams in a journey that resembles a camel caravan. Lalezar Orinbayeva reflects on how her youthful dreams have changed over time, but she has not lost her optimism or determination. Ismailova Hilola outlines events that inspired her to become a teacher, how she found her life’s calling.

Eshboyev Oybek Davlat Oglu also speaks to education, highlighting potential roles for e-learning. Shahina Olimova researches the use of role-playing games in English language learning.

Chimezie Ihekuna shares his life’s purpose, asserting his artistic independence and desire to make the world a better place through writing and music. Biljana Letic of the Balkan Beats radio program interviews Maja Milojkovic about the spiritual, intercultural, and humane inspirations behind her writing. Shamsiya Khudoynazarova Turumovna’s poetry celebrates the beauty, grace, and discipline that goes into crafting haiku. Vernon Frazer positions words and shapes and fonts onto three pages with a loose theme of music. Rizal Tanjung explores the nuances and ambiguities within Anna Keiko’s abstract paintings. Jim Meirose’s piece mutates language into a mix of fonts and verbs and sounds, giving the sense of flying a plane.

Jacques Fleury also experiments with language as he reflects on learning to “go with the flow” of life, even when life’s “flow” is uneven, in a piece crafted during meditation. Gabriela Marin’s gentle poems evoke dreams, intimacy, and the imagination. Duane Vorhees’ pieces speak to attraction and intimacy, longing for human and poetic muses. Sam Hendrian explores moments of human connection and faux-connection.

Eva Petropoulou Lianou urges human solidarity and friendship: she wishes for women to stand together and befriend each other. Dr. Jernail S. Anand’s essay reminds us that society’s leaders should represent ethical values beyond money and power. Rahmat A. Muhammad expresses her hopes for international and domestic peace within her country. Ahmed Farooq Baidoon urges the world to become worthy of its children. Isabel Gomes de Diego’s photos celebrate new and burgeoning life in various forms. Isaac Aju’s short story challenges the Nigerian social taboo about middle-aged women remaining unmarried, celebrating a broader scope of people and lifestyles.

Even as we find some new joys and new lives, we sadly lose others. Ahmed Miqdad laments the destruction of Gaza and its ravages on both land and souls. Emran Emon decries the killing in Gaza and the U.N.’s lack of action. Daniel De Culla lampoons those who lead humanity while willfully ignoring climate change.

Sandro Piedrahita’s tale of conquest, tragedy, and some tiny justice finally served dramatizes the Spanish colonization of the Incas. Z.I. Mahmud explores dystopian elements within Margaret Atwood’s feminist classic The Handmaid’s Tale.

On a more personal level, Anna Keiko’s youthful-sounding poetry expresses tender lovesickness and fear of losing her beloved. Taylor Dibbert’s weary poetic speaker gives up on the dating world. Bill Tope’s short story presents a tragic interpersonal situation with tenderness, causing readers to think about the role of the justice system.

Christopher Bernard’s piece illustrates how humans can defend ourselves against all sorts of danger with calm, mindful preparedness. We hope that this issue will not only charm and entertain, but inspire and strengthen you to face the days ahead.

April

“Help me, God,” he muttered under his breath as he wiped his clean-shaven face with large hands. Eddie knew he hadn’t lost his mind. Hadn’t the county shrink declared him fit to stand trial? Branded with a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder, Eddie had languished in lockup since last year, awaiting trial. He had also, inexplicably to him, been declared a flight risk, when in fact he had no money, not even a car. He couldn’t make bail. When he was a young teen, he had spent time in juvenile detention for such offenses as panhandling, wandering around without proper ID, trespassing, and the like. But this was so different. It was, his lawyer had told him, deadly serious. He may have ASPD, but still he would face the music for his most serious alleged misdeed yet: rape.

Her name was April. She was beautiful, with long, supple, athletic legs and blond tresses that spilled down past her shoulders and ample breasts. She had a bronzed, radiant complexion from basking under the Georgia sun for all the world to see. Eddie had spied her clandestinely many times but had been afraid to approach her. She lived four houses down from him, in a large, two story home that was painted dark blue and was known throughout the neighborhood as the Blue House. Her parents were attorneys or something, and away a lot.

Eddie wasn’t clever with words and didn’t know how to be cool with a woman the way his friends could. In her yard, April wore a string bikini that showed darn near everything, almost revealing her private parts. This made Eddie uncomfortable at first, but he overcame his discomfort as he got to know her. Unlike most people he knew, April talked to him, not at him, and asked him about his life and what he liked to do when he wasn’t working at the restaurant where she also worked. So at first he made stuff up to make himself sound more interesting. He liked to skydive and hunt bears in the wild, he told her. She told him she didn’t like guns or hunting, and he told her he wouldn’t do it anymore. As he grew to know her better, Eddie came clean and told April that he didn’t know how to skydive and didn’t even own a gun, much less hunt.

“I knew you were fibbing, Eddie,” she said with that laugh that sounded like ice tinkling in a glass. April wore pale pink lipstick on her rosebud lips. Eddie loved her lips and longed to kiss them. He’d never kissed a woman other than Aunt Trudy, with whom he lived. April might have thought there was something wrong with him because he didn’t really know how to kiss, but no. She was patient with him; she showed him how to pucker his lips, lean into the kiss, and relax.

“Put your arms around me, Eddie. Put your hands on my hips; that’s right.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he protested. She laughed, but not at him.

“I’m not made of glass,” she told him. He took a great breath. He instinctively trusted her. Unlike a lot of the people Eddie had met, April hadn’t a mean bone in her body. Other people called him retard or stupid, and made him feel ashamed. She liked Eddie; he could tell. And he was soon crazy in love with her. They began to spend long hours together when they weren’t working and when April wasn’t in school. She told Eddie that she worked hard at her studies.

“I don’t want to work in a restaurant my whole life,” she said. Neither did Eddie, but he’d worked there for ten years, since he was sixteen, and had dropped out of the special school; he didn’t know what else he might do. April encouraged him to become a student like her, but he didn’t know. He’d never been that bright in school. Always self-effacing, he repeatedly put himself down.

“You’re not stupid!” she told him pointedly, almost losing her temper.

“But you study calculus. I can barely do fractions,” he replied honestly.

“Go to the library and get a book on math, and we’ll work on it together,” she insisted. “I’ll prove you’re smart.” So he did, and it worked out beautifully. Before he knew it, she was teaching him algebra. Eventually, Eddie’s feelings towards April began to evolve; he became more focused on her, more possessive, and more committed. He discovered, to his surprise, that he wanted a life with this wonderful woman. Best of all, she seemed to feel the same way.

“Oh, Eddie, I can’t wait to make love to you,” she said unexpectedly one day after work. They were alone in her bedroom at the Blue House and, following her shower, she wore nothing but a thin robe, green like her eyes, Eddie flushed, embarrassed but in the same frame of mind. Eddie, of course, had never made love to anyone. What if he couldn’t do it? he wondered. All those ads on TV about ED and everything. Maybe, he thought, he should get some pills, but he’d be too embarrassed to ask for them. What if he let April down? He wouldn’t be able to live with himself. He’d have to quit his job at the restaurant and hide away in shame. He began to hyperventilate. April touched his arm. Her hand felt warm.

“I think you’d make a wonderful lover, Eddie,” she told him. She looked straight into his eyes, and again, he believed her.

“Have you ever…” he began.

She smiled. “Of course,” she said gently. He stared at her in awe. “Eddie, I’ll teach you everything I know. “It’ll be like the fractions,” she said lightly. “Only more fun.” Whatever April told him, Eddie believed.

During his time in jail, men had approached him and wanted to have sex with him, but Eddie was a large man and very strong. So far, they had kept their distance. Most of the time he was kept in solitary because of the seething hatred the other inmates had for rapists. How were they any better? he wondered. In lockup, Eddie wasn’t called by his name but rather “chomo,” whatever that was supposed to mean.

Finally, one afternoon, they did it—they made love in April’s bed. Eddie had been afraid to reveal his body, feeling self-conscious about his appearance, but April was impressed with his physique.

“Ooh, Eddie, you have a fantastic body,” said April with a delighted squeal, running her hand down his chest. Eddie had lifted weights for ten years because he liked to be strong, but he had never thought much about how he looked. He smiled. April was a skilled lover, thought Eddie. She knew just what to do; she never hurried him, and their bodies melded into one. She was like a force of nature. This was but the first of many times.

It all came to a tragic end one day when Eliza, a friend of April’s, entered the Blue House uninvited and stole up the stairs to April’s bedroom. There she spotted the two lovers, wrapped in each other’s arms and fast asleep. Soon, a tender secret became town gossip and then common knowledge. April’s parents were stunned. Authorities were summoned, an arrest made and charges filed.. Eddie, impoverished, was accorded only a public defender.

So Eddie had spent the ensuing nine months locked away in jail, awaiting trial, his aunt and his attorney his only visitors. He stood in his cell, his large, powerful fists rigidly gripping the bars. He hadn’t known that what he was doing was wrong. To him it had been about love. His mind drifted back to April; the worst part of his incarceration was his isolation from the woman that he adored. Just two days from now, he knew, would be April’s birthday; she would then turn seventeen. Eddie had never before even heard of statutory rape.

…

Pavers (What To Do If You’re Not Cormac McCarthy)

Just walk the stones. I think it’s a nice path, and especially in lieu of the winter snow and ice and wind. See, they have gone over it with a Bobcat machine and ploughed the way. I think I even saw salt. It’s important. Like water or light or such. I go slow, slower than average. Think thoughts, whatever thoughts, and for a second because if the paver stones I remember that Cormac McCarthy said prostitution was not the oldest profession because the first thing anyone did was stonework, was laying a stone upon a stone.

What do I know though?

Continuing there is a bridge and a blackbird. The bird disappears and the bridge remains. Calm. It becomes for a time calm there. I think already that I will have to come back. Whatever I encounter after the first half, that initial twenty minutes or half-hour, is worth it. Another bridge and the off-path area is manageable then for people have walked it. Maybe the kind man in snowshoes, a few dog walkers, a couple simple friendly types who get fresh air and exercise…whatever the case, enough so that’s it’s compacted and not too rough. 

I choose to go along and know that up some hills and then down some more, it will connect with the brick path again. Bricks are also known as ‘pavers,’ and they usually are laid on compacted limestone then sand is put atop and swept in. The sides often have cuts that are done with a proper machine and someone that knows what they are doing. Sometimes a ‘re-lay,’ is needed if water or just time shifts some stones. There are different designs beginning with a standard lay to more intricate patterns. Tera cotta or blue seem to be nice colours, the path then containing lots of blue and some grey. Around here beyond the path people choose just grey though. It’s not horrible, but lacks character and everything appears too uniform.

That’s the way I see it anyhow. 

There is a stream, making a sound as the thawing water moves along. Then a winding way up the first hill, a straight way up another second and higher hill. From there much can be seen, and it’s bright and clean and open. I can hear car traffic in the far distance somewhere but the world is not inhabited by me then, which is a nice break, akin to a meditation or at least small spiritual sojourn. 

We can’t all go to Bali or The Himalayas or The River Ganges.  

There is a time from the outer world and the inner world both that dictates its halfway through and I that must begin heading back. That time comes near a bench I don’t sit on. I walk down and admire another bridge but take the longer way around, eventually entering onto the main path of pavers again. I remember that Eckhart Tolle mentioned somewhere that your mind will feel more at ease for what it’s worth, when you physically enter a manufactured set of lines and walls. This seems anathema or at least contradictory to the whole point of nature walking, of people forever having sought out mountains, deserts, pastoral plains and fields, river and stream, and the entirety of the surrounding oneself with the sanctuary of sanguine and even sacrosanct nature. 

Go figure. 

But, there is some weird truth to it. My feet on the pavers feel better and I’m glad to be back on an actual path. It just is what it is. I go around a big bend slowly and see nature but also tall hydro lines and neither startles or bothers me. It’s almost time to go to the final stretch to the vehicle and then home. It will be a success, for what it’s worth, and the worth is invisible to societal mores and distinctions but apparent to me. Why? Because I have moved and breathed fresh air and gotten if even vaguely, the beginning ideas for certain words or stories. Not everyone can be Cormac McCarthy, and the Tao itself mentions that they will laugh but it wouldn’t be the true Tao if they didn’t. Yes, the most one can do is sometimes walk the stones and write some poems, being as content as possible with oneself. If there is deep snow everywhere, try and find some pavers that have been cleared and follow them.  

We Begin in the Garden

synchronized chaos: plan behind the wild

a garden is

a tricky Thing

most see mine

                          as Chaos—

a lot of thought

has been put into

                              my chaos.

epilogue:

last year’s dead growth

mingling with the youth

                                         of wild spring shoots

how i love your juxtaposition:

the old giving way

but not before

                          nourishing the new.

between 2 worlds: life of a H₂O droplet

water droplet

growing

heavy

trickling

down

          a window

                            pane

                  meandering

                                   to where

                                 only you might

                                                                know

                                 stopping/starting

                                      deciding: left or right

                       bumping into sibling

                                                   droplets

                         they hitch a ride

                                                     on you

                                                              & you

                                                        carry them

                                                down

                                     to where

                                               the pane ends:

a new life begins

                     leaving behind a diluted trail

               a

              long snake

                that

              coalesces

                before

            breaking

                 into

                a

                 succession

                 of

                   water

                droplets

                   your

                children

                    dappled

                looking in/looking out

                     ready

                        for

the next generation.

ode to the ageless

i’m not good

    at being older

i’m too old

                    for that—

‘So take off your thirsty boots

And stay for a while’

                                    —Eric Andersen

and when we die

and when we die

it’s the soul we miss

it held the body

we knew so well.

Rampant

A dream of flower ridden blossom

The wavering chaos of the river run high

I escaped the drugged wish

Of melancholic numbness around me

The slit throated sky high buildings

Of consumer care and globalized madness

The sip of soma is adjacent

Life’s little brittle mystery of strange alteration

A camphor of village ridden blush

The boat ride of everyday coming port

A slush for the modesty of eavesdropping sickness

Till the city learners the indoors of passion

The burning ghat still flames high

As the coming and going to this world is rampant

As poetic reverie bemused in silence.