“People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them.”

James Baldwin

In this issue, we explore how people are influenced by their times and cultures, and how they learn from and engage with the thoughts of their forebears. Also, we acknowledge the wealth of wisdom and life lessons carried within each person due to the events through which they have lived.

Graciela Noemi Villaverde speaks to the inexorable and irrevocable passage of time.

Amit Shankar Saha writes of then and now, memory and future, remembrance and forgetting, universal human questions. Duane Vorhees’ poetry evokes change, thought, aging, and the creative process.

Stephen Jarrell Williams speaks to memory and the human experience. Eva Lianou Petropoulou speaks to artists and authors’ learning from and being inspired by each other throughout the ages. Writer Rizal Tanjung offers up an existential analysis of Eva Petropoulou Lianou’s poetry.

Giorgos Pratzigos interviews Konstantinos Fais on his artwork and advocacy for rediscovering Hercules and ancient Greek virtues. Muxlisa Khaytbayeva records her grandfather Jumaboy Allaberganov’s memories of knowing famed Uzbek author Omonboy Matjonov as a young adult and discusses Matjonov’s contributions to culture. Shukurilloyeva Lazzatoy Shamsodovna relates her scholarly and personal journey to understanding and illuminating Russian writer Alexandr Faynberg’s poetic legacy and its influence on Uzbek culture.

Kuziyeva Shakhrizoda highlights the Uzbek government’s investment in the nation’s youth and the incredible potential of their young adults. Otaboyeva Khushniya outlines how the psychology of early childhood can inform education. Su Yun collects and translates the work of Chinese elementary school students. O’tkirava Sevinch outlines strategies for learning Mandarin Chinese as a second language and for teaching the language in Uzbek schools. Olimboyeva Dilaferuz outlines verb conjugation rules in the Uzbek language.

Mashhura Farhodovna Joraqulova’s short story encourages students from low-income families to persevere with their education. Sevara Kuchkarova outlines strategies to motivate students to complete work at school. Rashidova Shaxrizoda Zarshidovna honors the life and work of a woman who mentored many of the girls at her school. Dilbar Aminova advocates for a balanced approach to screentime in young children’s lives. Shahnoza Ochildiyeva reflects on the value of her journalism education at an Uzbek university. Xo’jamiyorova Gulmira Abdusalomovna highlights the role of emerging and young poets in Uzbekistan’s national destiny.

Duane Vorhees compares the poetry of Phillis Wheatley and Nikki Giovanni as part of a broader comment on changing Black consciousness in the United States.

Cherise Barasch writes with respect for the hardworking people she observes digging into the earth in the heat. Yongbo Ma brings a poetic and scientific perspective to fog. Sayani Mukherjee contemplates peaceful natural scenes in a reverie. Priyanka Neogi compares accepting life’s changes to living through different seasons and times of day. David Sapp reflects on the transcendent experience of seeing a peacock. Dilnoza Islamova looks to nature’s beauty as an invitation to spiritual faith and practice. Maki Starfield sends up elegant reflections on weather and fruits in Thailand as Maja Milojkovic meditates on sunflowers, existence, and perseverance.

Brian Barbeito lets his mind wander to cosmological and existential places while walking near birds by a lake. Orinbayeva Dilfuza rejoices in the beauty of nature at springtime as Dilobar Maxmarejabova shares the emotional significance of tulips in her life. Don Bormon revels in the fun of rain at school. Mark Young renders up more of his fanciful “geographical” maps of Australian regions. Mathematics is a language we use to describe nature, and Timothee Bordenave discusses how his geometric studies inform his artwork. Mesfakus Salahin speaks to drought in Bangladesh in a meditation on accepting life and nature’s cycles.

Bruce Mundhenke urges humanity to turn away from hate towards love and acceptance. Vo Thi Nhu Mai illuminates the beauty and communicative power of the craft of poetry.

Leslie Lisbona sends up a childhood memory of having fun dancing to and figuring out rap lyrics. Marjona Baxtiyorovna Jorayeva celebrates sports and their fandoms and their power to bring enjoyment and bring people together.

Shomurotova Sevinchoy reflects on what it means to be a true friend. Munisa Ro’ziboyeva illuminates her appreciation for her mother’s care. Hamroyeva Shahinabonu Shavkatovna highlights the love and care both fathers and mothers have for their children. Rashidova Muallima offers up her love for her mother. Kamoliddin Hamidullah sends us a tender love poem. Thathanhally B. Shekara expresses his joy in romantic union with his beloved. Vo Thi Nhu Mai looks to wind as a metaphor for gentle connection among people.

Jim Meirose crafts a surreal piece in the language of fairy tales and dreams. Iduoze Abdulhafiz takes a lengthy journey through the subconscious with a wide selection of words. Dr. Maja Sekulic reviews Dr. Jernail S. Anand’s exploration of artificial intelligence, myth, and morality.

Kholmurodova outlines strategies to bring digital access and economic opportunities to the world’s rural women. Rakhimov Rakhmatullo outlines challenges and solutions for logistics technologies. Sa’dia Alisher outlines some benefits, problems, and challenges from modern digital technologies. Gulnora Rakhimjonovna Khomidova explores the educational potential of artificial intelligence.

Dr. Jernail S. Anand relates how, regardless of the tools we use to craft our work, restraint and discipline can serve as a creative force. Dr. Debabrata Maji highlights the power of perseverance and devotion. Azemina Krehic compares the care she has for her poetic works to the process of washing her clothes on a line. Hassan Mistura speaks to the journey of developing a healthy self concept. Surayyo Nosirova reminds us to let go of the illusion of more control than we have and to stay open to change.

Grant Guy offers up stage directions for absurdist theater, an artistic reaction to periods of rapid social change. Ahmed Miqdad speaks to the absurd persistence of normal life amid wartime. Mykyta Ryzhykh, in a similar vein, evokes the quest for queer love and sensuality among bombs and bullets.

Pat Doyne laments violent immigration enforcement overreach in Los Angeles. Otabayeva Khusniya reveals the deeply humane vision of Erkin Vahidov’s work Rebellion of Souls, a tribute to the memory of Nasrul Islam and other artists who died as a result of unjust persecution. Chimezie Ihekuna shares some of life’s paradoxes and urges nations and groups of people to move away from war as a solution to issues. Mahbub Alam also puts out a call for peace, remembering the many people lost to war. Boboqulova Durdona laments the many civilian deaths in Gaza as Stephen House highlights war’s effects on ordinary people, especially children.

Muslima Olimova reflects on surviving an unhappy marriage and urges families to welcome young brides and for women to carefully consider before marrying. J.J. Campbell speaks to the lingering effects of trauma on people and the tension between hope and disillusionment. Dr. Bindu Madhavi speaks to the inner battles many of us fight as Mirta Liliana Ramirez evokes the pain of loneliness.

Doug Hawley’s short story presents several characters representing a mix of lawful and roguish motives and actions. Taylor Dibbert’s poem lampoons the worldliness of a priest and the devotion it still inspires. Sarvinoz Sobirjonova Abdusharifova depicts the dual nature of humanity: kindness and cruelty.

Kelly Moyer uses vegetable humor to convey and navigate the experience of chronic illness. Alan Catlin frames evocative images with words, plumbing the imagined photos for meaning.

Mark Blickley, a combat veteran who finished education later in life, reflects on what he gained as a person and an artist from popular literature and reminds the “literary” crowd not to so easily dismiss popular writers.

Mother

My eyes are pearls without you,

My heart is lost without your view.

In the dark, you’re my guiding light,

Without you, nothing feels right.

Though I may be ill or insane,

You ease my sorrow, soothe my pain.

You are the joy within my soul,

The missing piece that makes me whole.

Heart to heart, we’re intertwined,

A sea of love, an angel kind.

My soul’s springtime, you alone

Dear Mother, you’re my peaceful home.

Munisa Ro’ziboyeva was born on March 14, 2008, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. She is currently studying in a finance-focused class and has a strong passion for languages and global affairs. Munisa holds an IELTS certificate with a score of 6.0 and has actively participated in Model United Nations conferences. Her writing has been featured in several international publications, and she was recently awarded a 100% scholarship to pursue her studies in the United States.

Poet’s Heart

No matter how much a poet writes,
Their words never end.
In this world, never ever,
Will the poet’s name die!

There are many professions, skilled individuals, and people with honorable titles in the world — and no matter how much we praise them, it seems not enough. Yet, there are such people in our lives whose hearts are constantly filled with passionate emotions, love, and divine feelings at every moment. They always look at existence through the eyes of the heart and express their unique and subtle feelings through the pen. Are you wondering who we are talking about? Of course — poets!

A poet. This is not just a title. Behind it lies a world of inner storms, emotional uprisings of the soul. As one of the great literary figures of the past century, Erkin Vohidov, once said:

A poet’s heart is like a pomegranate,
Its juice is their poetry.
Those of the poetic path
Have no mercy for their own heart.

Indeed, a poet’s heart is like a pomegranate. And their poem is the juice. Just as the tiny seeds of a pomegranate are crushed to produce its juice, so too the deepest feelings, emotions, sorrows and joys, hopes and dreams hidden within the poet’s heart are awakened. Like the scattered pomegranate seeds, the poet’s thoughts and reflections come together and bring about a spiritual stir in the heart, which results in the beautiful, divine lines we call poetry.

During the creation of a poem, there is no emotion left untouched in the poet’s heart. That’s why we say: a poet shows no mercy to their own soul. Poetry is a literary form that reflects all the feelings, impressions, and thoughts that occur in the human mind and heart.

The poetess Zulfiya defined poetry as follows:
“Poetry is the fruit of emotions, impressions taken from life, and reflections…”

A poem does not appear out of nowhere. Only true poets can create it. Merely rhyming two words or lines is not a sign of being a poet. A real poet’s heart contains loyalty to their homeland, love for their country, all living beings, and the Creator. It is these emotions of loyalty and love that inspire them to write poetry.

A poet finds joy, inspiration, and delight in every event. For example, some find inspiration in the quiet of golden autumn, in the gentle whispering of the trees, the rustle of falling leaves, or the pattern of rain. Others find inspiration in the soft call to prayer, the cry of an infant, the fleeting nature of this world, the worries and hardships of life. Their thoughts and desires give them no rest, not even for a second.

That is why one poem can fill our hearts with joy and pride, while another can immerse us in thought, connecting us with the pain of others. A true poet is someone whose heart overflows with patriotism, justice, humanity, goodness, courage, and bravery.

Such noble qualities are embodied in the poet Nazrul Islam. In Erkin Vohidov’s poem “Rebellion of Souls”, Nazrul is portrayed as a devoted poet who radiates light through his gaze, looks at the universe with a sense of wonder, and uplifts humanity with a sense of justice. From birth to death, he lives for his people, his nation, and never fears speaking the truth.

Even at the cost of his own life, he calls on all mankind to seek justice, truth, and human values. Yet, the masses see his actions as rebellious and imprison him.

The following lines from the poem express the true nature of a real poet:

If you are a poet,
Let your heart be ready
To be sacrificed for your people.
If you are a poet,
Let your people
Be your shield.

Over time, Nazrul Islam departs from this world, but his spirit lives on. The people make his golden words their guiding slogan.

At the end of the poem, Erkin Vohidov writes that Nazrul Islam’s spirit gave him no peace. The spirit of the character says to the poet:

Being a poet is like
A bleeding wound in the heart.
I do not wish for you, young one,
A peaceful life,
Or comfort.
Do not rest,
As long as you live.
Let inspiration bring you pain,
Be ill with poetry’s ache.

These lines awaken feelings of pride, bravery, and courage in today’s young writers. Through them, the poet’s spirit urges Erkin Vohidov not to write about fleeting pleasures or superficial beauty, but instead to live with the struggles of the people, the worries of his time, and to take poetry seriously.

Let’s refer to another work. In Abdulla Oripov’s “The Road to Paradise”, the central figure is a young man who was a poet in his lifetime. He wrote inspiring poems, was a good son to his parents, and harmed no one. He dies while trying to save a drowning girl during a flood. In the afterlife, he stands before the Balance Keeper who measures sins and virtues. The young man, hopeful that he may enter paradise, is surprised to find his good deeds weigh less than his sins.

He asks to see his greatest sin. The Balance Keeper shows him the burning souls of envious, dark-hearted people in hell. The point is that although the young man was given divine talent and a sharp pen, he used it only to describe mountains, nature, and romantic imagery, rather than to expose society’s evils or prevent wrongdoing.

This leads us to Abdulla Oripov’s profound words:
“A poet cannot isolate themselves in their own little world and write — they are connected through countless threads to the complex, conflicted, and heated life around them. Thus, they must live with the concerns, pain, and passions of their era…”

One of his quatrains also captures this well:

Don’t say a poet runs everywhere,
Neglecting the world’s burden.
They carry a mountain on their back,
Yet walk lightly like a bird.

Only when a poet takes on the burden of that mountain — not only their personal troubles, but also the problems of society — can they truly be called a poet.

In conclusion, today’s young writers must first and foremost possess patriotism, loyalty to the homeland, and a sense of humanity. For generations, our ancestors have passed down works that emphasize such noble qualities. Even knowing that writing them could risk their lives, they never feared spreading goodness and light.

Therefore, the writings and poems of today’s young authors must also become true weapons of goodness and patriotism for future generations.

---

Author: Xo‘jamiyorova Gulmira Abdusalomovna
Born on June 25, 2004, in Surkhandarya region. While studying at Secondary School No. 22 in Uzun district, she actively participated in Uzbek language and literature Olympiads and earned honorable places. In 2022, she was admitted on a state grant to the Termez State Pedagogical Institute. She is a graduate of Shine Girls Academy and the “Formula of Success” course, and a member of Kazakhstan’s “Qo‘sh Qanot” Union of Writers and Poets. Many of her scientific and promotional articles and authored poems have been published in international newspapers, journals, and collections, and she holds several international certificates.

Pheasant Resurrection

At the intersection,

dim at dawn, carnage

on my way to work,

a pall over routine,

any ambition faded,

feathers, color askew,

sienna, umber, ochre –

that placid blue-gray

mimicked mourning doves.

Just yesterday, the pheasant

pecked happily at bugs,

perversely, too often,

tempting tires, fenders.

I missed the stark day

at noon, the definition,

township man, Joe

of Arimathea scraping

evidence from asphalt.

Then, a glorious vision,

(where’s the seraphim?)

coming home at dusk,

same indistinct light,

there, there! his ghost

or a resurrection,

cock-sure apparition,

red crown bobbing,

strutting like a rooster,

prince of his dominion,

as if nothing occurred,

my anguish irrelevant.

Thomas, no doubt,

placed a reservation

for supper at Emmaus.

David Sapp, writer and artist, lives along the southern shore of Lake Erie in North America. A Pushcart nominee, he was awarded Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Grants for poetry and the visual arts. His poetry and prose appear widely in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. His publications include articles in the Journal of Creative Behavior, chapbooks Close to Home and Two Buddha, a novel Flying Over Erie, and a book of poems and drawings titled Drawing Nirvana.

Stop Time

An inverted hourglass, grains of cosmic dust

that resist gravity, but succumb to the inexorable fall.

Time, a mighty, dark river that overflows,

carrying memories like dry, withered, and faded leaves.

A withered petal, the ephemeral beauty of a moment lost forever.

A distant echo, the dying whisper of a lament.

A ghost train moving away,

taking with it the promise of a tomorrow

that will never come.

An iceberg slowly melting,

the inexorable erosion of existence,

leaving behind a frozen void.

A blank canvas, waiting for the final brushstroke,

but finding only the shadow of what was.

A whisper in the wind, the silent farewell,

a goodbye with no return,

an echo of pain in the cold immensity.

GRACIELA NOEMI VILLAVERDE is a writer and poet from Concepción del Uruguay (Entre Rios) Argentina, based in Buenos Aires She graduated in letters and is the author of seven books of poetry, awarded several times worldwide. She works as the World Manager of Educational and Social Projects of the Hispanic World Union of Writers and is the UHE World Honorary President of the same institution Activa de la Sade, Argentine Society of Writers. She is the Commissioner of Honor in the executive cabinet IN THE EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL RELATIONS DIVISION, of the UNACCC SOUTH AMERICA ARGENTINA CHAPTER.