My Love Will Not


I can forget my memories but not you
I can lose everything but not my love
I can sell my world but not my heart
I can change the face of time but not dream
I can stop everyone but not you
See the flame of dream where love lives
See the wings of love where you fly
Ask your eyes about the seed of love
Planted in your heart before time
Touch the sky and hear my heartbeat 
Every beat tells the story of your existence 
I am not me for a moment without you
 You are everything in my life.
The seasons may change easily
The rivers may dry
Time can fly from here to there
The  hills may change their possession 
The night may be endless
The sun can not rise
The moon may sleep
But my love will not.

THE COVETED YELLOW TEA SET

Oh the old teacup handle broke today
Quite accidentally I am sad to say
Because it was the family treasure
Only used in small measure

Oh what a  pleasure it had been
As a child to have gazed at the yellow set
From the glass mirror of the cabinet
Nose squashed against the glass with longing eyes

Eyes wide with dreamy sighs 
Of using the coveted yellow tea set some day
Which didn't come in my parents’ time
Finally gifted to my daughter many years down the line 

Hence, dear friends, before the dust catches it all
Use the beautiful sari which still hangs in the cupboard many years’
Or the red T-shirt which lies untouched
Or soon you’ll  feel shy to wear a colour so bold

Do you hoard waiting for a suitable day?
A dress, a shirt, an event or travel?
Do not tary, dear friend, time is short, 
You may never use that old treasured thing you bought

Or visit that favourite place
Or say those loved words
Time swishes past 
Like sand in an hour glass doesn’t last!


Sushama Kasbekar

First, we at Synchronized Chaos lament the loss of life and cultural institutions in Gaza.

Also, here are some non-partisan humanitarian ways in which literary folk can consider bringing our unique skills and interests to assist.

Librarians With Palestine has the Matloub (Wanted) project where people from anywhere in the world can choose books off of a website and donate to have them shipped to libraries in the region.

We Are Not Numbers matches up writing mentors who live outside Gaza with Gazan youth who want to tell their stories. They are also looking for venues to repost and reshare the stories.

The Gaza Book Project is an initiative to replace the books in a bookstore that was recently destroyed in the war. They invite people from around the world to donate used books from their personal collections with a letter included about why the book is meaningful to them, with the goal of sparking international connections over literature.

Freelancers in Gaza, founded by a woman from the region, seeks to provide Gazan youths with career mentorship and connections. They’re looking for more mentors from around the world to virtually mentor Gazans who share their career paths.

Next, an announcement from one of our contributors.

(Image is of a smiling Black woman with big hoop earrings, short hair, a light blue sweater, and her hands folded in front of her).

Coral in the Diaspora by contributor Jerrice J. Baptiste is officially available for pre-order and is the third chapbook in Abode’s 2024-2025 lineup! 

Book Description: Coral in The Diaspora by Jerrice J. Baptiste is a collection that captures the lives of the Haitian people as they embrace the goodness in their community. It celebrates the wisdom of the elders as leaders who are cherished for their commitment to help the island thrive. Each member of the island’s community is welcomed and valued for their special gifts and the joy they each create by being unique souls. Coral in The Diaspora creates a visceral experience for its readers through its colorful imagery and beautiful language by giving voice to the island of Haiti.

About the Author: Jerrice J. Baptiste is a poet born in Haiti. She has educated different ages through her seven multicultural children’s books with the whimsical talented artist April Matula, and also by her full-length poetry book titled Wintry Mix. As an author she has presented her books in hundreds of public & private schools since 2013. She is also the founder of Authentic Poetry workshops in The Hudson Valley, NY for the past 20 years. She has been a recurring teaching artist/poet at The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. More about her here.

Our first June issue, Remember Who You Are, covers a variety of ways in which people embrace, create, learn about, and discover their self-concepts. From scholars writing about the history and culture of Haiti and Uzbekistan to a tribute to an immigrant grandmother who left to re-create herself, to people rejecting oppression and violence and finding themselves in nature, wilderness, love, family or chosen family, to those reaffirming their values in a confusing world, to those going on adventures, reflecting on the human condition, celebrating their birthdays and their radio careers in Ghana, or simply playing with words, colors, or syntax to create individualized art, this month’s creators are seeking to understand and reclaim themselves.

Jacques Fleury reminds us of the revolutionary history, vibrant spirit and economic diversity of Haiti and how the country is more complex than Western headlines reveal.

Kurbanova Saodat Ismatkulovna speaks to another rich and complex and lesser-known culture, pointing out that Uzbeks rank highly among measures of the world’s happiest people. She suggests that it has to do with the country’s peaceful culture and natural beauty as much as with material prosperity.

Saparbaeva Aziza discusses a book outlining the life of historical sheikh Sulayman Bakirgani and urges Uzbeks to learn their history. Numonova Fariza details the life and death of conquering leader Amir Temur.

Mirsalikhova Robiya calls for a nationwide revival of and appreciation for the arts as an integral part of Uzbek culture.

Mixriniso Jurayeva celebrates the history and the unique poetry embedded within the Uzbek language. Uljaboeva Hilolaposhsho highlights the Uzbek language’s crucial relationship to the Uzbek culture. Jorayeva Marjona Baxtiyor delves into Uzbek sociolinguistics and suggests that how Uzbeks use language reflects the beauty and wisdom of their culture. Norsafarova Nilufar discusses the grammatical structure and syntax of the Uzbek language.

Rosiyeva Gulbahor speaks to the joy of education and reading. Shokhida Jurayeva encourages parents and caregivers to bring children books to read for pleasure.

Atajanova Ogultuvak’s essay outlines the importance of early childhood education and Uzbekistan’s efforts to make that accessible to all young children. Gulsevar Xojamova also highlights the importance of education to Uzbekistan and its government. Abdukhadirova Mahliyo explores the psychology of early childhood education and development.

Malika Oydinova advocates for all students to become proficient in a foreign language, for personal as well as professional development. Shokhzod Dilmurod highlights the role of information technology in physics research.

Azimova Munisa describes her personal and academic life goals with determination to reach them. Pascal Lockwood-Villa asserts how he’ll shape his own self-concept, independent of the pressures of commercialism or troubled romances. Cheryl Snell’s poetry highlights the tension between fear and doubt through its dramatic allegory of the protagonist’s ascending from bed on wings of hope, and also questions our dependence on media.

Andrew MacDonald explores how news and media images seep into our collective and personal subconscious. Patrick Sweeney does something similar, interspersing cinematic and worldly imagery into his one-liners.

Mark Young shares what he thinks about or listens to when he should be writing, which is also a tour de force of cultural imagery that has shaped him as an artist and person. Leslie Lisbona’s short story outlines how a dramatic painting of a woman, which she purchased and felt compelled to stare into during Covid-19 shelter-in-place, moored her and gave her confidence during a time of personal change. Ghanaian DJ Ike Boat pens a poem celebrating his own birthday and his creative career and values.

Grant Guy’s visual imagery pays tribute to the No! movement in art, in which artists rejected the consumerism that they saw was becoming part of the art connoisseur world.

Maurizio Brancaleoni translates works by contemporary Italian poet Marina Pizzi, where she speaks of being intelligent and self-aware in a world of beauty and danger, love and cruelty. Stephen Jarrell Williams continues in this vein with pieces about loving others and working on becoming a better person with full awareness of the world’s violence. In contrast, Rukn Al-Din Younis expresses deep psychological emptiness in a world he feels has been ruined and made no longer his own.

Michael Robinson contributes a gentle and spiritual poem in memory of a kind and very close friend who passed away, while Wazed Abdullah pens a simple and heartfelt tribute to his deceased mother.

Kristy Raines highlights the fragility of true love and the need to hold onto it and nurture it. Prasannakumar Dalai writes of warm spiritual and romantic devotion. Graciela Noemi Villaverde evokes a tender moment of longing for a lover not yet present while Faleeha Hassan poetically begs a long-lost love to toss off the coat of absence and re-emerge. Maja Milojkovic speaks to lovers who are so intimately connected that they see echoes of each other’s spirit within their own reflections.

Sayani Mukherjee describes human and natural life bursting forth in a London spring as Zarnigor Ubaidullayeva extols spring’s beauty and fresh new life energy. Muntasir Mamun Kiron reveres the legacy of deep-rooted trees growing alongside generations of humans. Lola Hotamova compares the journey of life to drifting down a brook while Mashhura Ergasheva finds companionship with the rain and Don Bormon rejoices in the fun, renewing, and cleansing energy of a rainstorm.

Dr. Maheshwar Das also pens verses about seeking out the divine, along with tender care for a lover and the beauty of small moments watching the birds. John Edward Culp draws on a farming metaphor to highlight how love prepares and mends the soil of the heart.

David Sapp’s story relates how kindness and love are not characteristics unique to hippies or those who openly claim those traits. Shahlo Abduhamidova revels in the peace and comfort of a family meal. Christina Chin and Uchechukwu Onyedikam’s poetic collaboration focuses in on small scenes in our families and neighborhoods and on the perennial human life cycle. Bill Tope’s short story describes the experiences of people who fall through the cracks of society and celebrates chosen family among people who care for each other, as Nosirova Gavhar renders up a tale of children’s kindness to a neighbor.

Jesse Emmanuella’s short piece shows that life comes with both the bitter and the sweet. Lidia Popa reflects on the passage of history from a vista point on a peaceful and historic beach as Mahbub Alam draws on nature to consider the complex nature of life: its peace and drama, love and suffering.

J.J. Campbell evokes the broken dreams caused by various relational disappointments as Choriyeva Shaxrinoz portrays the aftermath of a broken relationship. Philip Butera draws on fruit metaphors to illustrate the bitterness of lost love.

Daniel De Culla’s poem laments greed, war, and violence. Muhammad Yusuf Zulfiqorov decries war’s impact on children as Nigar Nurulla Khalilova focuses in on a small child killed by bombs. Christopher Bernard urges Joe Biden to take a stronger stance against Israel’s killing of civilians during its military response to Hamas’ October 7th attacks.

Mykyta Ryzhykh’s poetry focuses in on life growing in the shadows of large societal trauma and oppression. Dr. Jernail S. Anand laments societies’ pursuit of ambition and worldly success at the expense of beauty, compassion, and other humane values. Amir Hamza reflects on our complex relationship with smartphones: wanting them but knowing it isn’t good to become obsessed. Elmaya Jabbarova urges society to bring our compassion up to the same advanced level as our technologies.

Lilian Dipasupil Kunimasa reminds us to seek peace and remember the human cost of war, and praises tigers for their shrewdness, not their violence. Taylor Dibbert illustrates how the “ugly American” stereotype of obnoxious travelers is not totally without basis.

Jonathan Butcher crafts vignettes of experiences that should have been beautiful but were less than expected in reality. His poetry touches on environmental pollution and greed. J.K. Durick’s poems deal with the ways we get stuck in life, physically or mentally, which includes watching too much news.

Z.I. Mahmud probes the moral tension within Batman films, the question of whether vigilante action is appropriate to deal with criminal violence, through an exploration of other characters in the films who mirror Batman.

Mesfakus Salahin reminds us that no human being can escape death. Duane Vorhees speaks to the inevitable passage of time, how the present will become the past, and all will become history unearthed and revealed.

Gregg Norman honors his history by paying tribute to his grandmother and to the strength of immigrant women building a new life in a new land.

Brian Barbeito reviews William T. Vollmann’s Riding Towards Everywhere and celebrates train travel and the poetic spirit of adventure. Wahab Al-Sharif recollects how since childhood he has had a mighty appetite for action and risk.

Isabel Gomez de Diego’s photography explores how we relate to the vast expanses of life beyond ourselves: natural landscapes or historical ruins. Federico Wardal outlines and praises the many international figures who came together to support the near-miraculous veterinary effort to save injured horse Al-Khamilah.

Christina Chin and Paul Callus’ collaborative haiku highlights moments of pursuit and action, small and larger dramas. Kylian Cubila Gomez presents photos of scenes that are at once ordinary and unique and fancifully endearing.

Gabriel Flores Bernard turns inward to the human psyche, illustrating how our moods can serve as background colors for the writing or art we create. Joshua Martin explores the impact of commas and words and syntax in a free-ranging set of poems. Noah Berlatsky probes the overlap between art and practicality, questioning whether elegantly presented or passionately shared collaborative knowledge can become poetry. J.D. Nelson’s one-line fragments reflect an experience of the world that doesn’t make linear sense, but somehow feels right.

We expect that this issue will feel somewhat similar to many readers as they navigate the thoughts and ideas of so many different creators from such a variety of backgrounds. We only hope that this monthly mixture will generate a sense of wisdom and completeness on some level for readers.

At the table

Every morning at the table,
The bread that my mother covered is only milk.
My father opens his hands to pray,
Get out of out of our house.

My brother and I hurry to school,
My father rides to the office.
When watching us, my mother says,
May you all return safely.

Elite roads lead us to different destinations,
In the dream, the wheel spins in different ways.
My heard falls in love with my house,
Study and work when finished.

My sister and I will set the table,
When he cooks, he brings bread.
I look forward to the rest,
Even as expected dear guest.

Gathered at the table again,
Let’s share the joyful concern.
victory over sorrows,
The heard is filled with joy and forgets sorrow.

Shahlo Abduhamidova Ergash gril is an 11th grade student of school 54 and a member of “Qaqnus” club of Barkamol Avlod children’s school.

Give the child a book….

A book statue has been erected in one of the small Norwegian towns. Amazing! “We will remember you, we will not forget you, book” is written on the statue. It’s almost like a memory. This is how they expressed their attitude to the book, what did we do? Like a young child, we are still arguing about whether it is a book or a phone. Although we don’t give children books… we don’t write as many books as before…

Today, “My child looks at the phone a lot, does not read books. There were no current books, is this a book?” there are more people who scold him. There are many parents who say, “Son, read a book.” Many people don’t like me writing about a book when the phone is in fashion. Because they don’t read books themselves.

The girl next door made me write this article. Once when I asked him what book he was reading, he laughed at me strangely, and I will never forget that laugh. The representative of this generation, who has never opened a book other than a textbook, made me uneasy. I’m not feeling well now. In the book… I will not write about the value of the book, how much it is food for human spirituality. After all, a lot has been written about it. I agree with Jorge Luis Borges that heaven must be a place like a book. Because books that most people consider lifeless can prove to them how illiterate they are. There are many such examples today…

“A book should be given to a child at school. If he grows up with a book, he will be a friend even when he grows up. I lead the Kitosevarlar circle. Most of the young people who attend my club read the book for a purpose, not for spiritual pleasure. Someone wants to win a Spark, another wants to study. I am afraid of the need for books for this materiality… I am surprised that some countries still do not give up books. Italians stop watching television for their children after the age of five. In Japan, a seven-year-old child must know at least 10 fairy tales. The use of these methods by the countries that make it possible to read books will be effective if they are introduced to us as well.

A COUNTRY OF VERY HAPPY PEOPLE

 My trip to the Amudarya district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan prompted me to write an article on this topic.  At the entrance to the Amudarya district, I watched the surroundings with interest as the cars moved slowly along the Panton Bridge (a floating bridge designed for the passage of people and vehicles) over the Amudarya. 

The bridge is a little old (built in 1938) and due to its narrowness, cars pass in a row.  At the beginning of the bridge, a beautiful wall like a tall monument caught my attention.  I was happy to see that “Uzbekistan is the land of the happy” written on this monument.  These words did not leave my mind during the whole trip.

    Indeed, happy Uzbekistan is the country of the happiest and happiest people.  Our country was ranked among the 50 happiest countries out of 156 countries in the world and took 44th place.  Among the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Uzbekistan ranks first as the country of the happiest people.  On March 20, “World Happiness” published a new report entitled “The happiest Uzbeks among the CIS countries”.

    What do we mean by happiness or a happy person?
    Happiness cannot be measured by wealth.

    Happiness is an inner feeling, we cannot grasp it with our hands, but we feel it with our heart.  Everyone has a different interpretation of happiness.  Happiness can be found only in a country where peace and tranquility prevail.  Happy people live free and free in a beautiful land like paradise.  The sky of Uzbekistan is clear, the waters are clear, the people are kind and hospitable.  If anyone doubts our happiness, let them come to a paradise-like country like Uzbekistan and see with their own eyes that people live happily in the arms of happiness!

    During the development of modern technology, the description of beautiful Uzbekistan spread to the whole world.  Foreign tourists who have heard about the incomparable beauty of our country dream of traveling to our heavenly homeland.
    I am proud to be a child of a peaceful and prosperous, beautiful paradise-like country called Uzbekistan, and to be a happy citizen of this country.

Kurbanova Saodat Ismatkulovna

Teacher of school 18, Nishan district, Kashkadarya region, Republic of Uzbekistan

A Wide Way To The International Field Is A Deep Study Of Foreign Languages 

Annotation: Due to the growing significance of language proficiency in contemporary culture and its extensive use on global scale, this article emphasizes the value of learning foreign languages.
Key words: foreign language, disciplinary system, literature, globalized era, quality of education.

Education of the future generation in the spirit of love and allegiance to the Motherland, national pride, high morality and spirituality, pride in our old and rich heritage, and national and international values is one of the most pressing concerns of our day. 

Fundamental changes to the educational system on earth are a problem because they don't provide the right environment for undergraduates to learn foreign languages perfectly, be able to communicate in a foreign language in all situations, and improve their oral and written communication skills in a foreign language. 

UNESCO, UNICEF, and the Association of European Universities are concerned about helping students develop their ability to think in a foreign language, their right to free speech, and their capacity for intellectual engagement. There are groups involved, such the European Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education. The evolution of this topic in general trends is crucial for the development of modernity and foreign language proficiency in the next generation and helps to boost students' creative potential in relation to issues with contemporary education. 

The coordination of curricula became the cornerstone for enhancing the higher pedagogical disciplinary system. The need of the hour is for fundamental reform of the quality of education based on outside experiences in the context of Uzbekistan, taking into account national mentality and traditions. 

It is crucial to use interactive techniques when working with young people, be able to give them high-quality instruction in a foreign language, raise the bar for higher education, and generally improve it. Consequently, the creation of a future labor force in our nation's higher education system and In order to build the ability to learn original literature in the field and to engage in conversational communication in a foreign language, foreign language classes are held in the course of gathering the information required for the intention. 

Every autonomous citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan has his or her own, and he or she should be able to read the original copy of literature written in another language that is pertinent to his or her line of work, comprehend it, and use it in that line of work. In addition, as learning a foreign language is a must for living in the current globalized era, he should be able to openly discuss ideas on the subject with the interlocutor in that language. 

Every person living in the independent Republic of Uzbekistan should be able to read, comprehend, and apply works of literature written in a language other than his own that are relevant to his line of work. He should also be able to openly converse in a foreign language with the interlocutor about the specified topic. 

After all, in today's globalized world, learning foreign languages is required. Foreign language instruction is given great consideration in our nation, which just gained independence. Numerous foreign language teachers have been taught, the necessary conditions for workers to advance their education both domestically and abroad have been established, multimedia English, German, and French textbooks have been constructed, and electronic English learning tools have been developed. 

The creation of modern language classrooms at educational institutions is unequivocal evidence of this. The main goal is to create the conditions for the growth of international cooperation and communication, the achievements of world civilization, and the use of information resources by young people across the globe. This is done by educating the next generation in foreign languages and improving the training of specialists who can speak these languages willingly. 

As the eminent German scholar YV Von Goethe famously put it, "He who does not recognize foreign languages does not know his own." 

For this reason, learning foreign languages and willingly communicating ideas in them are thought to be among the most important responsibilities by both external language specialists and all prospective cadre studying in higher education institutions that do not specialize in languages. Our folks have a saying that goes, "He who notices the language knows." 

A person who speaks a foreign language will, in fact, have a wealth of options and advantages. Today, great language skills are one of the most important qualifications for employees. Priority areas for research on teaching foreign languages to students at institutes of higher learning without a language concentration include the following: The teaching of foreign languages to pupils in accordance with the European CEFR standards enhances the pedagogical mechanisms of education, including instructional technology, the objectivity of control, and the organization of independent education outside the audience. 

Higher education has a specific aim for teaching foreign languages, and all foreign language instructors should specify it beforehand. For after all, "the goals of foreign language teaching determine the content, means, methods, and principles of teaching," as scientists O. Khoshimov and I. Yakubov wrote in the book "Methodology of English Language Teaching." education at the higher level that does not focus on languages. 

The importance of teaching a foreign language in foreign institutions cannot be overstated because doing so will help students become more mature individuals in all spheres.

Malika Oydinova student of Uzbekistan State World Languages University of English faculty of Foreign Languages and Literature