America declared its independence from British dependence,

But continues to depend on hating the other and

Hate has always been and will always be about fear

How ironic that America was instituted by members of the other

That is other than the indigenous natives of the Americas

fleeing persecution for being the other in their homelands…

Only to persecute the natives and project “the other” identify upon them

What is the American “value” system

Other than “systemic” racial suppression?

A questionable choice to uphold

Despotic ideologies of white supremacy!

To choose to demonize and otherize the marginalized

Without accounting for the margins of error in judgement of the ostracized.

Who’s casting the stones?

The silent and the complacent

for through your silence,

Imposing imperialists have garnered your consent.

Don’t be a voiceless puppet and voice your dissent!

Reacquaint yourself with your history

Reaffirm your contributions to humanity 

Do NOT let colonial dictators dictate your story! 

For it was “the others” who built this country

This American land of freedom and liberty?!

The enslaved Africans,

The FIRST known civilization in human history

Who toiled and sowed the earth only to reap

Inequality and brutality.

The indigenous American Indians:

The original “founding fathers”

 Initially labeled “savages”

Unfit to inhabit American lands 

They already cultivated for over 10,000 years,

That is longer than the Europeans were in Europe!

Only to coincide with European tribal genocide…

Later a great lot would succumb to suicide!

The Asians who built the transcontinental railroad

Connecting the east to the American west only to be deemed

Unworthy dog and cat eating slobs

who threaten white American jobs…

Now that pejorative has been projected onto Haitians from Haiti, 

the once RICHEST country in the Americas,

Whose monetary fluency France used to supplement

The American fight for liberation under the toe of British oppression

Les Chasseurs Volontaires D’haiti,

The Volunteer Chasers from Haiti

Who chased the Brits from Savannah, Georgia

The largest group of fighters of African descent

WERE the Haitians now immortalized through a monument for posterity.

All the enslaved Africans who quite literally

“Built” America are ALL worthy of human dignity.

For it was Afro-Haitian explorer Jean Baptiste DuSable

Who was the “founding father” of Chicago!

Cut from the cloth of the same persecuted people

Who are now being branded as “dog and cat eaters”

To supplement the cause of socio-politico fearmongers…

What is the American “value” system?

Besides “systemic” racial suppression and

Despotic “values” and ideologies of White Supremacy?

Bearing in mind that “hate” is NOT a “value”.

It is the narrative of “fear” from the oligarchy!

[Previously published in Wilderness House Literary Review]

*Please Note: Inspired by Guardian Scapegoating article on Asians and Haitians eating pets

Jacques Fleury is a Boston Globe featured Haitian American Poet, Educator, Author of four books and a literary arts student at Harvard University online. His latest publication “You Are Enough: The Journey to Accepting Your Authentic Self”  & other titles are available at all Boston Public Libraries, the University of Massachusetts Healey Library, University of  Wyoming, Askews and Holts Library Services in the United Kingdom, The Harvard Book Store, The Grolier Poetry Bookshop, Amazon etc…  He has been published in prestigious publications such as Wilderness House Literary Review, Muddy River Poetry Review, Litterateur Redefining World anthologies out of India, Poets Reading the News, the Cornell University Press anthology Class Lives: Stories from Our Economic Divide, Boston Area Small Press and Poetry Scene among others…Visit him at:  http://www.authorsden.com/jacquesfleury.

She Pushed

She wanted 

To move quickly 

And pushed 

For their marriage

And then

When the 

Storm clouds came

She pushed

To end it

What a mess.

Taylor Dibbert is a writer, journalist, and poet in Washington, DC. He’s author of, most recently, the poetry collection “Takoma.”

The Best Poem

The most efficient way to write a poem

Is to find another poem and take out the heart.

Leave the other poem where you found it bleeding out.

If it were efficient it would have survived 

like the catfish deserting a sinking ship.

After it has sunk, they crawl about the bottom

chewing on the rats and the hands

that didn’t get out.

That is natural selection.

 

 The best poems are the poems that are here.

They persevere through merit.

They go to Burning Man to find more truth.

Shelley has built a Byronic hedge fund

of virtue and innovation.

It stands naked and peeing in the night of wisdom.

And where its urine spatters test scores rise

like manly locks shaking in the storm of cost benefit analysis.

 

 This is the poem that ate your heart.

This is the poem whose heart was eaten.

We need less blood and more Human Resources 

if we are to go into the dark of genius

and emerge with the light of anthology.

Voices of Gaza
  
In the streets of Gaza, where shadows fall, 
Children's laughter fades into a distant call. 
There are no shortcuts, only endless struggles, 
A journey marked by the edge of a knife. 

To reach the goals, it takes everyone's toil and commitment, 
In a land where dreams barely survive. 
Patience, the guide in the darkest night, 
Learning, growing, seeking the light. 

In the heart of Gaza, the cruel embrace of hunger, 
Thirst and pain etched on every face. 
Yet hope persists, a glimmer in the darkness, 
A promise of peace, a flower that blooms. 

Remember, world, the cries of the little ones, 
In Gaza, where the innocent fall. 
Cease the fire now, let compassion reign, 
End the suffering, ease the pain. 

For every step on this weary path, 
Is a testimony to the lasting wrath. 
But with every lesson, in every tear shed 
There is strength to move forward. 

In unity, we stand, hand in hand, 
For the children of Gaza, for this sacred land, hoping. 
May peace prevail, may love ignite, 
A future where all can bask in the light.

BIOGRAPHY

Lidia Popa was born in Romania in the locality of Piatra Șoimului, in the county of Neamț, on 16th April, 1964. She finished her studies in Piatra Neamț, Romania with a high school diploma and other administrative courses, where she worked until she decided to emigrate to Italy.

She has been living for 23 years and worked in Rome as part of the wave of intellectual emigrants since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

She wrote her first poem at her age of seven. She is a poet, essayist, storyteller, recognized in Italy and in other countries for her literary activities. She collaborates with cultural associations, literary cenacles, literary magazines and paper and online publications of Romanian, Italian and international literature. She writes in Romanian, Italian and also in other languages as an exercise in knowledge.

BOOKS

She has published her poems in six books:

in Italy:

1. ” Point different ( to be ) ” – ed. Italian and

2.” In the den of my thoughts ( Dacia ) ” – ed. bilingual Romanian/ Italian AlettiEditore 2016,

3.“ Sky amphora ” – ed. bilingual Romanian/ Italian EdizioniDivinafollia 2017,

in Romania:

4. ” The soul of words” ed. bilingual Romanian/ Albanian Amanda Edit Verlag 2021,

5.” Syntagms with longing for clover ” ed. Romanian, EdituraMinela 2021.

6.” The Voice interior ” LidiaPopa and BakiYmeri ed. bilingual Romanian/Italian, Amanda Edit Verlag 2022.

Her poems featured in more than 50 literary anthologies and literary magazines on line from 2014 to 2023 in Italy, Romania, Spain, Canada, Serbia, Bangladesh, United Kingdom, Liban,USA,etc.

Her poems are translated into Italian, French, English, Spanish, Arabic, German, Bangladesh, Portuguese, Serbian, Urdu, Dari, Tamil, etc.

Her writings are published regularly with some magazines in Romania, Italy and abroad.

She is a promoter of Romanian, Italian and international literature, and is part of the juries of the competitions.

She translates from classical or contemporary authors who strike for the refinement and quality of their verses in the languages: Italian, Romanian, English, Spanish, French, German, stating that “it is just a writing exercise to learn and evolve as a person with love for humanity, for art, poetry and literature “.

SHE IS

*Member of the Italian Federation of Writers (FUIS)

*Honorary member of the International Literary Society Casa PoeticaMagia y Plumas Republic of Colombia,

*Member of Hispanomundial Union of Writers (Union Hispanomundial de Escritores) (UHE) and Thousands Minds For Mexico (MMMEX)

*President UHE and MMMEX Romania, August 21, 2021

*She had come power of attorney Vice-president UHE Romania, Mars18, 2021- August 21, 2021

*President UHE and MMMEX Romania, August 21, 2021

*Counselor from Italy for Suryodaya Literary Foundation Odisha India,

*Director from Italy for Alìanza Cultural Universal (ACU) Argentina

*Member Motivational Strips Oman,a member of numerous other literary groups at the level internationally,

*Director of Poetry and Literature World Vision Board of Directors (PLWV) Bangladesh

*Membership of ANGEENA INTERNATIONAL NON PROFIT ORGANISATION of Canada

International Peace Ambassador of The Daily Global Nation International Independent Newspaper from Dhaka Bangladesh – 2023

*Founder literary group Lido dell’anima with LIDO DELL’ANIMA AWARDS

*Founder LIDO DELL’ANIMA Italian magazine

*Founder SILVAE VERBORUM INTERNATIONAL multilingual magazine

*Founder literary currently #homelesspoetry

etc.

Chute Me Like Verlaine; or, Red &Hot in the cit Y,,, Riffer Phonix…

Aka47GHc, return to blander

.

Like yo, yo a meaty ogre, but mediocre 

ust follpwing orders i styx up the ordure, or; your jaws Sean of Pr Isis as i is the gap i pow wow ka blow you out of my theatre of cruelty rises righteous pi us where what’s survival pf the shit test o o o elongated np mask of the red scare of death is my witness to This X fire im gonna aka47 it’s Murder rings around the ghc business is my destiny, sleet child of mines.

And rhus a rental applicant 

Cops caught in a proxy dental applicant. I, i cap’n‘ crunt walk out twitch these trotskys. They’ve got the talking heads bout my gen’s oxys. Rational black sabbatical dental applicant for this gag slag ordered me off 2 Gadigal rental had it all accidet

Tour car we’re inuitin’ into it in putting the h in i m

Putting the urgency in M an’ OMMM

Styx up –

THey spiked my eyes with a Hortense

I have so so no doz the go prose poetes maudlin philanthropist fever pitch it to the sos bitch lost me O! so ses porn im at the hub sandwich a virus witch hunter s thompson out the mumblies tele scapes with bubbles aye sick kunt owe this me do me own stun doubles the trouble is what bubblies i bleed inter guitar o fry on ends the n – O zones – w – watch god power is gonna doobie dooobie scoop up pup add a D a.d. 2 BcBgBs you get out of the sweepy creepies up 2 the fat gat cats who scat the cut seething z z top shutterbug truth breeders be gitmo struth Ghc scuttlea tattertale buttle trial for tuttle’s Moochers oscar wilde Gracious inspector facelift clueless in the left needs a seattle grunge your girl needs a gun These Days hey on you my account of all the wattle bushes knuckle down rattle shakes Deckard busters battle sharpies run aka47Z Z r u in my zen trumancy saddle up2 get class hard act to fellow guitar ship down me heart slips on the RnR fork lint BnD pete trip DnB evidences mist townsend Crisps a naughty pounding indie defeatist rack the uh yeah gee HC are but bought up homophones in meep meep popo clothes the tax gap Gabbo krusty clowns havens wobbling wesleys gape beta saviour it without a capital T on all four thousand of me BPD craven Heaps Gay off with yawhaw raybans stalk stork stalks raven popping up windows into your abortion intimidating stance coffee harassment clan shops in woohoo stormzy bops, be frqudian accordions in the john spits back coltrane spots me but im not feeling so godsy’s on it your honesty is yr honour Kool Aid shoplifting with our millions G, N p no flavour aid the brian eno super solution to the uber mock mxmix too much i fly off with your ball park way drive music Mc–m-c Mk Ultra Coopers flight scene missing them teamsters on the velveteen anthony and cleopatra’s corporate blister in robocopping sham sun amassing beaches from the bleachers b2b2b do bap boom leechers like your Dm MOOF heir’s often OUT of ten out of ten F i dish id sum pig LETS tenure summit TENS ON noir mal TREBLE me baudelait to f what i TROD ON know ONE partly TWO nod off wad THREE u did lost FOUR summer feeels this INFECT leurs tenuous INGEST ed it or i get AT IT IN JEST coast ER cPR PAN MIND THE i i copenhagen site 2 DL breaker 3po

Ivmael icksrus waiter cto

Gmo theres a getting even steven fly in my channel 9 scoop hoes getting crass with the cross beau’s elbows

Double you hoops

I dont need the earings for help with the lift tho tearing up the campo cop turn to fearing pomo lowblows popo wit 

H or

Styx bricks on liqourice m3p ticklish mp3 may day me parade do be the circular key card hootenanny slap with the idol australian wrap this up your a plaid act in gg israelean allen key change your errorz tory with my girl my car pet we sweep under them why you big bad worlds gotta be illa billy lr i foley word mickey Dasein my billy eye lash i deal right with it whirred by. Like. Buy likes. Chairs the peace of meeting up2 o4 boeing knifes a 747 identity tiff i have so nuch politics is theft to me kings cross at the heft of me too jock rot root do it just is gta in it gst sin bin it i dealer ship off fares cry stan ding evasion stall makes you ruin ai run acid victims of domestic bathroom airports out with your car loss castle in the sky i am the will i scrape peacock it i am in your purse lips g loss over the factoids lost touch wood an og F head turn into a Fred sharpening h or tense car for an e Castling? Z pftsf check you rock mate n roleplay cis is hip to the hop on You know my crzzy P of diamonds E shutter bug stuck up per crust pizza pound in for my charity bin yr overdub camp code,,, notmmy ez ewok trouble from the retort loon nah thats that be God retro from the k get go in on it hr puffin’ stiff waiting for this kitsch bitch Is glitching jingles welcome you too I am the carl kungle therefoee J man fink marx the plumbers top her in the ice box. I put out the OED in order: Pussy Riot Quiet, Please, ordure in the court hose u cut to witch flower over my elvis hose. P.i. just i just leased dethat fine ezra pound. In time herself is paying my L DS 25 splice gill’s wrong. Ills wank. This g’s illmatic danked in tragedies, are never wrong rom comedy of Cyclips LSD 25 clop me troubling bling your original onus of the muddy bong water board up the score poured some more shakshugar on it it as in an Oz twitchy witch with the didgeridoo that Cindy Laundering muzak hamilton off with ostriches in body mod hire up hieorglyphics. Plumbers of your hammed tones of sparkling ice, ice books. YAh ah ah. Pook is herr. Man drake’s read along wont be start it up, it woned be a tart up. S. 2

Club 7

Heaven is 11 judge harpoon mercys marx heathens heaving 

Fark

They asio called me. CharizardGet rich gaunts or diet cola trying me would take off in my ola commisions five error H. Or dense. Ddt.. Dis diss lexicon’s my dmt Lp’s era. Steezin’.

This RFID avant garde’s the kings cross reason. Miaow. Miaow my soft cell goes on to brown out your brands towns vile. In the loo with the lewd vial, tho file it under the guile of Lil pelvis..

Hell fish in the cell Fitch. Miles. You can vince mcmahon me later. Duvets. Snerabloids Kelly slaughter.

House five in the air

Shooboozey dupey i be cute this drop together Wop, wop, wop…

Lets do it up2

Consider your co side rms are beauts rn that be cue john ashbery’s piano P&o to BRN rear view mirror eating chuck tailors up2 be or on tje nod to be kings suss suck sack me like that spook duckling sacrilegious mattresses that uber scuse that’s me crew barred be hoove, hoove it, Js? – ah, windows into the sou’. Are. Gay. That’s your Gr ant slam medical help drunk nifty shades og As a skunk crunk cray cray read a long.with this Fitch .man. drake…

Some oner should leak me up. Rake. Nahz too wiggy. Pig will.i.ams. rake. sesrching with Emerge n ceo rake. but she funds the pay elopes. Raki. You pay me for the e elopes. Wasabi. Tekken with a pinch og mtf yr freeeky. Chi is chekhov. Dead dogs alarm bells tell nostrils stale pale ale failures Impailed ailmentsa are fey lures to squaloor moon you om zoom zoo. Zoom. Meeting by hoo must not be met half way short and not nam’d. This FiatDamn youre be Broke. Ba, can i buy a eye lash copy of Choke? Gobby joke

“And what about this heresay itz not funny Treason Quitline???”

“I got the idea from this big time John. Taylor Swift.”

Where are my cokehead failures?

Cola blu collars at what a beaut codswallop. As is this is i owe you tje nu nu

Fuck T. Rump.swallows. Ddt rum. Bolos. P? The economy gets on with me. Tie. Honestly… this will off

Voodoo that sweet chile of 

I went all allende

Murk and ma.d. i. Mooney

The style is Jigsaw Rap. I come from the lambda of plenty

Dude Yours is truly psycho julie is this caesar seized salad the throw backs to the salcious go gaffs. The power’s out of ballads, and, weave a roady boken up with the boating shoes the rule of fortune. Fortetude . Once again , in the coffee to my cup of loco, their Universal pixels eyes pick ya

Hodgy beats

Im specious. So, so special. K gotta have some of your – tentacle attention in zz curtsy embassy vonnegutted the amenities me too Plunder blunderphonics under neath with her her neat sonic youth screw pile drivers under wear out the know how kitty maggot is the lazy susan bad dest. To be. Loose in Ghc. Or node spruce moose ward 2d. Mt. Or That is pop druitt art straight out of compton threw up our pimpley mind you suck this tribe’called question

Socialterity

Remember the r e m embers these parts of me to breathe. Out Nah. Forget how to be. Found. Hart

Crane up there for your neckids.

Or, imma – what Snickers? – it beggars

Man hunt belief? Tor up s thompson street pa u lie.

And not just about chorale reef!

Next to me is a b cut up a clean figure c 8 balls all in the pocket

Silver rocket Uppers they warned me

All.

Debt is a lie. Pilcher forests

CizUxurize. Stitch up u guys. 2. Left 

To forage

Leaf sentience for an age that is we’re back ending up under their lifeshow miss took my aegis mis laid life

Sentences to bling you deficits surround us want you like our coffee welk grounded as a hogs breath lesson 1 floundered. Said

Give me a Pound, E.z. or youre

My rock

Bottoms up! God wins all in of youre

 laws, bud.

P.s. tech ically i should probs reresd it, cos made some start changes, but idk, idk,

Haiku Pokes

night edging in

ache of tall buildings

hugging those inside

taking chances

homeless venturing out

looking for kind words

eye in the sky

teardrops cleansing

the whole world

playing the guitar

quiet strokes soothing

pit of the city

numb this night

world sinking into itself

the last seizure 

waiting

for the snap of time

when we wake up

little dancer

not knowing when she grows up

taking chances

young artist

only a moment smiling

a cartoon face

breaking news

splitting the world

in half

wind whispering

circling the globe

in a chokehold

at the doorstep

a new day

careful footing

Stephen Jarrell Williams can be found on X (Twitter) @papapoet.  He has been published here and there and where the light still glows.

The Heart

Heart.
Because of you, misfortunes have no end,
Where you are, danger lies close or distant.
Cast away deceit, turn back and repent,
For on Judgment Day, there will be questions to answer.

I envy those without a heart,
They don’t burn, don’t love, and don’t even die.
How can they? For they have no heart.
But me? I have a thousand hearts…
Yet still, something feels incomplete.

Some have hearts, but they’re lifeless, dead,
Even if torn apart, no blood would be shed.
Inside them, parasites hum their tune,
Even a dog wouldn’t eat what’s thrown to it soon.

Are there such people in life, I wonder?
Yes. Don’t you see? Look closer, further.
Those who sell conscience and homeland for gold,
With no compassion, their hearts are cold.

The heart — a delicate, unique creation,
It cannot be left unguarded, not for a moment.
Close your eyes briefly, and it might be led astray,
Even by desires for the unworthy in the fray.

Shoxijahon Urunov — student of Bukhara State Pedagogical Institute