TORCHES

​Cascades in the clouds overflow;

the wind is fire burning the rain.

The rain, in turn, ignites, lighting the torches—

torches that extinguish heartbeats,

heartbeats that are no longer for me.

​Your torches burned my skin;

they did so with such intensity that they reached my heart.

They scorched it so deeply that, upon your departure,

only weeping embers remained.

​The crystals of my soul shattered the valleys of my skin;

your love was dying in my heart,

while in the future, hope began to bloom.

ALTAR

​Today I remember the altar where I left tears and disappointments;

in that space, I abandoned the bitter moments caused by you.

That altar where, despite my pain, I had to let you go.

My forced heart suffered for you; fragile and innocent, it yearned for you.

​Blessed altar where I finally buried my memories and yours,

moments we once called “happiness.”

The joy I long for now dwells in a new temple,

where your shadow can no longer harm me.

​After anointing myself with courage, I healed the scars of my soul.

My heart reacted, covering itself in hope;

and without remorse, it closed the door on you,

sending you, forever, to the altar of oblivion.

THE PATH

​The paths become eternal beneath each step,

despite the thorny stones that bite the trail.

There are also beautiful flowers for which to be grateful.

Many times, the storms lash against us,

but the winds lull us, appeasing the pain;

and abruptly, our wings expand in search of the sun.

​Perhaps we will lose our way a thousand times more,

at times, the march may even seem difficult.

Even so, the horizon awaits us, ready to be conquered.

The goal, sometimes, is drawn in blurred lines,

but with resolve and persistence, we shall reach it.

​We will arrive with smiles and with tears

for the fellow travelers that time left behind.

​Colombia

Laskiaf Amortegui

BIOGRAPHY: LASKIAF AMORTEGUI

Laskiaf Amortegui is a prominent Colombian poet, narrative writer, radio broadcaster, editor, and voice-over artist for poetry and book trailers. With a career that transcends borders, she is the co-author of several international anthologies and the author of the book “Alas del Alma: Los Milagros” (focused on energy leveling and healing), as well as the successful novel “La jaula de las mariposas”. This novel, which tells the story of five women and their environment, has positioned itself as one of the best-selling works in its genre on Amazon and was awarded the prestigious Honorary Diploma “Arina Gold – 2025” in Russia.

A winner of multiple international awards for voice, narrative, and poetic career, her writings have been translated and published worldwide. She represented Colombia as a jury member for the Asian Literary Contest and was honored as Poet of the Year 2025 by Sefrou Cultural Magazine and Snippets International Magazine (Morocco).

She is currently preparing the launch of her upcoming projects: the novel “Roja” and the poetry collection “Letras inconexas”.

Find her on social media:

Facebook: Laskiaf Amortegui

Instagram: @Laskiaf_escritora

Respecto a los poemas:

An eponymous skateboard

My clamshell tilts to the left
like an offkilter ice cream
cone. Born & bred in the state

of Bosnia & Herzogevina,
from whence its name, Arch-
duke Franz Ferdinand. Also

from whence its major draw-
back, the fear of assassination
while wheeling down the road.


What the Dickens?

Nicholas Nickleby
escaped the pages
of that eponymous

novel & went off &
joined a boxing troupe
where he achieved

great success fighting
under the name of
Nickelass Knuckleby.



in bed, in lederhosen

Bertolt Brecht stirs beside me,
muttering something about Die 
Moritat von Mackie Messer. On 
the other side, in a mini dirndl 
with white school sox, Lotte Lenya 
murmers the words in a kind of
Sprechstimme, speak-singing the 
English call it, as a means of dis-
guising the deterioration of her
voice. Kurt Weill is currently not
around; but the words, the mutter-
ings, impersonate his presence.
All this because it is extremely 
uncomfortable sleeping in leather.
Even though it's soft, it sometimes 
chafes the thighs, plus experts 
warn that it stresses the material
& the seams. But I find that cer-
tain music will alleviate all dis-
comfort. Tonight it's Die Drei-
groschenoper. Tomorrow maybe
Bach, or Concierto de Aranjuez. A
few days in the nude will follow, 
or up until the weather changes.

The / Manchurian Candidate / in another demographic

Project artichoke was a CIA 
mind control program which
sought to determine if a sub-
ject under the influence of one
of many drugs could be made
to carry out an assassination.


Whiting moments, angry. (Psalm 69)

The Buddha said: "Touchy
people become offended, pay
their wrath forward." In
other words, some people

want shit to happen; & if it
doesn't, they do just enough
to make certain that it does.
Buddha won't be happy that

that's how it turns out; but
elsewhere, King David will
be overtaken by paroxysms

of delight. "Pour out your
wrath upon them; let your
fierce anger overtake them."

The Power of Love

There is a place no one can see.

It is not marked on any map. It is neither in the mountains nor beyond the sea. It exists within a person. In that place, two voices live: one is fear, the other is love.

Aziza discovered this place at the age of 17.

From the outside, she was an ordinary girl — she studied well, was disciplined, and had dreams. But inside her, there was a quiet emptiness. Since childhood, she had learned to be strong: not to cry, not to share her pain, to say, “I can handle it myself.”

Her father was always away on business. Her mother was strong, but she hid her exhaustion. They loved Aziza, but their love was often unspoken. And unspoken love is sometimes misunderstood.

One day, Aziza failed an important exam.

Others saw it as an ordinary failure. But for Aziza, it opened that hidden place inside her. There, fear laughed:

“See? You are not enough.”

Aziza began to believe that voice. She grew colder. She shrank her dreams. She distanced herself from people. Because if you want nothing, then nothing can hurt you — at least, that’s what she thought.

But there was another voice inside her. It spoke very quietly.

One night, her mother came into her room. There was no long speech. She simply placed her hand on Aziza’s shoulder.

“My daughter, you fell. But I respect you not for falling, but for trying.”

That sentence echoed in the silence within her.

At that moment, Aziza understood something: love does not shout. It does not demand proof. It simply stands beside you.

The next day, she decided to fight not the exam, but her own fear. The results did not change immediately. Life did not suddenly brighten. But in that mapless place inside her, something shifted — the voice of fear grew quieter.

Years passed. Whether Aziza achieved success or not — that is not what matters.

What matters is that she learned to guide that inner place. She realized:

Love does not protect a person. It does not save them from pain. It does not even prevent them from falling.

Love is the reason we rise after we fall.

And the deepest truth is this: a person becomes strong not through others’ love, but when they learn to love themselves.

Now, in that mapless place, one voice is heard more clearly.

It is love.

Abdusalomova Marjona Jahongir qizi was born on May 30, 2008, in the Jizzakh region. She initially studied at School No. 38 in the Forish district until the 9th grade. Currently, she is studying in a specialized class focused on biology and chemistry at School No. 31 in Jizzakh city.

Marjona is the holder of more than 35 international certificates and is a participant in the city stage of the Zulfiya State Award. She has been awarded badges such as “Behbudiy izdoshlari,” “Ta’limdagi muvaffaqiyatlari uchun,” and “Millatlar mozaikasi.” She has actively participated in a number of international and national-level anthologies. In particular, she is a participant in the anthologies “Kelajak qalamlari,” “Tuyg‘ular daftari,” “So‘zlarimdan jahon eshitsin,” and “So‘z sayqali.” In addition, she is the author of the anthology “Men sharq qiziman.”

Marjona is a member of the Argentina Writers’ Union, and her articles have been published on the Google platform. She has worked as a coordinator in the Forish district for the “Oltin qanot volontyorlari” organization and is currently an official volunteer of the Girls’ Academy. She has also been actively participating in various international conferences and webinars. She served as the coordinator for scholarships and state awards during the April 15–19 program of the “NextGen Summit” project. She has also achieved success in education: she holds a B+ level certificate in her native language and a C+ level certificate in history. In addition, she is knowledgeable in logistics and is currently learning trading.

She has studied the Turkish language and has read more than 100 works of fiction. Marjona has also actively participated in courses focused on personal development, psychology, and entering the international arena. One of the most important and unforgettable moments in her life was when she achieved her first success and was awarded the badge “Ta’limdagi muvaffaqiyatlari uchun,” celebrating this joyful moment with tears together with her parents and loved ones.

EFFECTIVE WAYS OF USING FAIRY TALES IN DEVELOPING ORAL SPEECH

Soliyeva Dilshoda Tokhtamatjon qizi

Kokand State University,

Department of Special Pedagogy

II-year master’s student

dilshoda.soliyeva@qdu.uz

ANNOTATION

This article studies the pedagogical possibilities of using the fairy tale genre in the formation and enrichment of oral speech in primary school students. The study has empirically and theoretically proven that fairy tale texts have a positive effect on children’s vocabulary, speech fluency and communication skills. Classroom experiments, observation and questionnaire results show that fairy tale-based activities significantly develop students’ oral expression.

Keywords: oral speech, fairy tale, speech development, primary education, vocabulary, pedagogical technology, folk literature, communication culture, expressive reading, creative storytelling.

ABSTRACT

This article explores the pedagogical potential of using fairy tales as a means of forming and enriching oral speech in primary school students. The study theoretically and empirically substantiates the positive influence of fairy tale texts on children’s vocabulary, speech fluency, and communication skills. Results from classroom experiments, observations, and questionnaires indicate that fairy tale-based activities significantly improve students’ oral expression.

Keywords: oral speech, fairy tale, speech development, primary education, vocabulary, pedagogical technology, folk literature, communication culture, expressive reading, creative storytelling.

INTRODUCTION

A person’s place in society largely depends on his communicative ability, that is, the ability to express his thoughts clearly, fluently, and effectively. Primary school age is the most important stage of speech development, and it is precisely the skills formed during this period that serve as the main foundation for the rest of life. Therefore, the issue of developing oral speech in primary grades is one of the most priority areas of today’s pedagogy. Folk tales are the most natural and ancient companions of the children’s world. A fairy tale is not only a literary genre that combines an interesting plot and educational content, but also a centuries-old educational tool of the Uzbek people. With its simple, repetitive, musical and figurative language, a fairy tale easily enters both the child’s ear and heart. It is these features that make a fairy tale a unique pedagogical tool for developing oral speech.

The main purpose of the study is to show how primary school teachers can systematically and methodologically correctly use fairy tales in the classroom to develop speech, and to verify and prove the effectiveness of this activity in practice.

The objectives of the research are: to study the psychological and pedagogical foundations of the development of oral speech; to analyze the possibilities of the fairy tale genre in developing speech; to develop types of fairy tale-based activities; to draw conclusions based on the results of experiments.

LITERATURE ANALYSIS AND METHODOLOGY

Literature Analysis

Speech development in childhood occurs through the social environment and active communication. This idea has been deeply studied in psychology, and many researchers emphasize the crucial importance of live communication with adults and peers in the child’s acquisition of language. The texts that the child listens to, repeats and reconstructs directly shape his attitude to language and speech perception. Mastering the narrative, that is, the story device at an early age, gives the child not only language, but also a logical way of thinking. A fairy tale is the simplest and most child-friendly form of this narrative structure: beginning, development, culmination and conclusion – these four stages form a natural model of orderly speech construction in the child’s mind.

The issue of developing oral speech in Uzbek pedagogy has been widely studied by such scientists as S. Matchonov, N. Qodirov, R. Kochkarova. Their works provide theoretical foundations for introducing fairy tales and other examples of folk oral art into the educational process and emphasize their positive impact on children’s speech [1]. In foreign literature, in particular, in studies conducted in English and Russian, it has been experimentally proven that lessons based on fairy tales can increase children’s vocabulary by 25-30 percent [2].

Methodology

The study was conducted in the 2023-2024 academic year with the participation of 2nd grade students of secondary school No. 45 in Tashkent (54 students in total). Students were divided into two groups – experimental and control groups. In the experimental group, lessons were conducted using a special methodology based on fairy tales; in the control group, traditional teaching methods were used.

The following methods were used in the study: pedagogical observation – students’ verbal activity in the lesson process was monitored; diagnostic interview

REFERENCES

1. Matchonov, S. (2018). Methods of teaching the native language in primary grades. O’qituvchi.
2. Qodirov, N., & Toshmatova, G. (2019). Modern methods of developing children’s speech. Pedagogy and Psychology, 3(2), 45-52.
3. Rahimova, M. (2021). Educational significance of folk tales. Continuing Education, 4(1), 67-74.
4. Normatova, D., & Xoliqova, S. (2020). Technologies for developing oral speech in primary grades. Sources of Knowledge, 5(3), 88-95.
5. Karimova, Z. (2022). Fairy tales and child psychology. Fan va texnologiya.
6. Yusupova, N. (2021). Developing speech through creative storytelling. Uzbek Language and Literature, 2(4), 112-118.
7. Xolmatova, R., & Sotvoldiyeva, M. (2023). Specific features of speech development in preschool and primary school children. Modern Education, 6(2), 34-41.

COME BACK TO ME

I hope for you endlessly,

I tremble at the thought of meeting you.

You are in my thoughts at early dawn,

and when evening melancholy overtakes me too.

I beg you, for God’s sake, understand,

kiss me again like you once did—

embrace me, return peace to my soul,

don’t let my body wither and grow weak.

As if you are miles away,

I cannot trace your path.

I have become no one to you,

yet above all, you are still dear to me.

Wake me with the song of birds,

and kiss my face with your lips.

Stay forever, do not hold back,

but give yourself to me completely.

Find me where time stands still,

where it teems with people, yet it’s only us.

Then you will understand what you are missing,

and that love is the most important thing in life.

Milica Tomić is a Serbian poet. She is a member of the association MUK (Young Artists of Culture).

Dear Alexander, you are a very creative person – a poet and an artist! Tell us, who do you see yourself more? A poet or an artist?

Answer

I would not like to separate these two concepts. Being both a poet and an artist means thinking, connecting thoughts together, giving them a complete look and striving to present your work to the public. And being a poet or an artist, an architect, a designer or a musician is more about the forms and tools of presenting your thoughts.

For me, literary and artistic methods of work are familiar and convenient to the same extent. Some images are easier to present in the format of a poem, some in the format of a picture, in addition, there are visual people, there are audial. In my opinion, the information capacity (the main part) of poetic and artistic works is comparable.

I continue to explore this issue and right now, within the framework of our new working project “choism”, I strive to study and present the possibilities of both literature and fine art to the same extent.

You have recently created a new project called “Hyperpoem”. What prompted you to create this project?

Answer

This was and still is one of our most ambitious and time-consuming projects. It all started with a small publication on social networks, in which we asked the authors to write one quatrain each in order to collect them later into one work. The effect was amazing! Dozens of authors from different countries responded to this invitation. Then I realized that the project is relevant, interesting and useful for modern poets, of whom there are millions in the world!

But what purpose could be offered to them to continue the project and turn it into something more? A world record! It was a very solid and attractive overall goal, which gave the project clarity and symbolism, and the theme of “International Friendship” only further revealed the potential of both the entire Hyperpoem and each poet in particular.

What does poetry mean to you?

Answer

For me, poetry is a modern tool for the representation of thought. Of course, poetry itself and its role have changed a lot since the 18th and 19th centuries, and in the 21st century we must look for new ways to serve it for the benefit of humanity. In my opinion, Hyperpoem can serve as a good example, it is not a banal festival, creative evening or competition, but something new in nature – a socio-poetic phenomenon! Perhaps this is just what the literature of the 21st century can and should give us.

Tell us more about Hyperpoem. How many countries are participating?

Answer

Now poets from such countries as Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Brazil, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cape Verde, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, England, Ecuador, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liberia, Macedonia, Malta, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Malaysia, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Moldova, Myanmar, New Zealand, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Slovakia, Sweden, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, USA, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Uganda, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe.

And these are only those participants who clearly indicated their countries, but some of them moved to live in others!

This is a world record project. What does it mean to you?

Answer

For me, the world record is, on the one hand, the stage of execution and implementation of the first stage of work on the project; on the other hand, it is the public recognition of our Hyperpoem. Already, according to a number of indicators, Hyperpoem is a unique phenomenon not only for the world of literature, but also for the history of mankind as a whole!

Do you think you are making your dreams come true?

Answer

Perhaps, yes… Hyperpoem was also a dream, but I shared it with hundreds and even thousands of poets around the world and our common dream became a reality!

How many months have you been working on this project?

Answer

We have been working on the project for almost two years. It was quite a busy stage of life, full of many related projects, interesting acquaintances, experiments, etc.

I want to note that our team does not plan to stop there, we will continue to work on the development of Hyperpoem in an updated format, because potentially it will be able to accept thousands more authors and actively live and develop for many years!

How many participants are involved in Hyperpoem?

Answer

In total, about 1,700 participants were noted in the Hyperpoem. I would like to note that it would not have been possible to achieve such a result without the active participation of our co-organizers: Dr. Joseph Spence, Kieu Bich Hau, Lou Fu (Hsu, Shih-Ting), Desa Dautovic, Miloš B. Ivetić, Marija Jotić, Eva Petropoulou-Lianou, Sadovskaya Lyudmila, Isilda Nunes, Stefania Danilova, Daria Galvas and special thanks to the ukiyoto publishing house, who invited hundreds of poets to participate in the project!

Airports

There’s something “counter” about airports –

Those bustling crowded places where strangers 

Are momentarily bonded together by a common

Goal – to get away from the present and get on

With the lives they are going into, something new

Or back to, happily or reluctantly. This is what

Transitory means, a fleeting moment we all get to

Pass through on our way to something we hoped

For when we bought that ticket, that boarding

Pass that feels so momentary folded up in our

Pockets waiting to help us escape the lines we

Become part of here in a place remembered only

By its abbreviated name – LHR, PHL, and BTV.

                   Souvenirs

Souvenirs are as hard to predict

As they are to explain afterwards.

Friends ask, and you barely remember

The why and therefore of the decision.

They were there just at the right moment

And you fell under their spell and ended

Up at the cashier with your selection in

Hand. Watching them get wrapped up

Or rung up were as close to hypnotic as

Anything you have experienced. This is

How they sell their place. This is how we

Buy our latest trip and bring it home with

Us to put on display and try to explain

What motivated you to buy yet another

Pen or another turtle figure.

                Today’s Poem

It’s out there bouncing on the waves

Starboard side this time.

Yesterday’s was short and abrupt

Quickly taken in, quickly dismissed.

But today’s has a different look –

Ready to engage, ready to enlighten.

Yesterday I was embarrassed to bring

It to everyone’s attention – pointing,

Pretending promising it would be worth

Their efforts at understanding.

Of course yesterday was yesterday

We don’t need to remember.

Today will be something new, something

Worth mentioning in the future

And then I’ll be able to say – I brought all

This to everyone’s attention

And they are better for it.