HIV-AIDS
H ow can one person condemn another
I gnorance does superstitions gather
V irus to fear, no right for spirit to shatter
A cquired illness reason to ostracize in society
I ndifferent to afflicted's pains and tragedy
D evoid of compassion and acts of humanity
S hame on us AIDS knows no diversity
Whatever reasons there may be
Infected ones need not our pity
We are needed to show empathy
To be just there for them our moral duty
One can't be infected with mere touch of care
Support and love definitely can share
Put your feet in their shoes if you dare
Not just risks but their plight be aware
Butac Memories
Dad's from South, with fields of sugar, corn and rice
Mom's from North, with mountains, cliffs and rivers rise
I was born and raised here in the city of vice
Grew up with telephones, teevee tubes and toys from mall
Bored of movies, fastfoods and buildings tall
Hotels, gymns and 50% sale stall
Still I would have loved to be in the mountain
Bumpy road ride through rocky terrain
On hand cart, who needs horses with brawny
Uncle in the rain
Rudimentary lifestyle, no electricity strings,
Bamboo pipe water from mountain springs
Ghost and monster scares round wood fire rings
Forget about land hole stairs.
Luck for balance, go home in pairs
House slumping up the trail, no gates- no cares
Cousins with practical tricks under sleeves
Care for itchy oozey barks and thorny leaves
Faires and mermaids Grandma's voice weaves
Break the fast by the firewood oven before ten
Lunch of river froglets and exotic dish, Aunt Mary's kitchen
Dinner higher up the mountains with Uncle Eugene
Just a couple weeks of rare vacation
Back to Manila lowlands for education
Tears and clinging hugs for lifetime devotion
Mountain ranges surreal nostalgic
City born life a childhood tragic
Land just below the skies is pure magic
Lilian Dipasupil Kunimasa was born January 14, 1965, in Manila Philippines. She has worked as a retired Language Instructor, interpreter, caregiver, secretary, product promotion employee, and private therapeutic masseur. Her works have been published as poems and short story anthologies in several language translations for e-magazines, monthly magazines, and books; poems for cause anthologies in a Zimbabwean newspaper; a feature article in a Philippine newspaper; and had her works posted on different poetry web and blog sites. She has been writing poems since childhood but started on Facebook only in 2014. For her, Poetry is life and life is poetry.
Lilian Kunimasa considers herself a student/teacher with the duty to learn, inspire, guide, and motivate others to contribute to changing what is seen as normal into a better world than when she steps into it. She has always considered life as an endless journey, searching for new goals, and challenges and how she can in small ways make a difference in every path she takes. She sees humanity as one family where each one must support the other and considers poets as a voice for Truth in pursuit of equality and proper stewardship of nature despite the hindrances of distorted information and traditions.
[Originally published in Fleury’s book You Are Enough: The Journey to Accepting Your Authentic Self]
Objective: Seeking a position to be over, under or next to someone;
Willing to fill any opening or position…
Education: Certificate of participation in “group” activities
Experience: Been around the block a few times…
Skills: Can touch my lower stomach without using my hands
Achievements: Never been arrested for seX crimes
Hobbies: All things done in the dark
References: See attached list for numbers of satisfied customers!
The Only Way to See the Stars…
By Jacques Fleury
[Originally published in Fleury’s book You Are Enough: The Journey to Accepting Your Authentic Self]
I often wonder why I smile even when sad
Thudding of my heart hearkening back
To recidivist scars running my fingers
Over the scabs abrading the cut of the
Blade and making my way in a world full
Of hurt people who hurt people
A pejorative and abortive choice
So smiling instead of snarling helps me
Remember even if bliss turns to distress
To see the stars is through the darkness…
Possible Causes and Effects of Cited High Blood Pressure
By Jacques Fleury
[Originally published in Fleury’s book You Are Enough: The Journey to Accepting Your Authentic Self]
If your Father died of heart disease
If you have Sleep Apnea
If you have irregular sleeping schedule
If you are overweight
If you have a late night binge eating habit
If you take caffeinated Energy Supplements
If you Drink Caffeinated Tea and Hot Chocolate
If you Use heavily salted spices like Chicken Bouillon Cubes
If you’re not getting enough “regular” cardio exercise
If you’re inconsistent with your daily meditation practice
If you ruminate about the past: its afflictions and perceived malfeasances
If you harbor resentments regarding sociopolitical and racial injustices
If you feel constant stings of Minority Stress through Micro Aggressions of racism
If you are BLACK!
Random Musings about Submission
By Jacques Fleury
[Originally published in Fleury’s book You Are Enough: The Journey to Accepting Your Authentic Self]
Let’s just begin in
medias res…or in the middle of things…
You see, we had artistic differences,
I was the artist and they were indifferent…
“Thank you for your submission…” but I never
Submitted!
At least not in the way that they wanted me to;
If I wasn’t fiscally challenged, I would board a jet plane
And head for a luge run at Saint Moritz Switzerland,
A psychotically dangerous sport;
Maybe they’ve driven me to psychosis!
Luge, a sport rooted in Germanic tribal wars against the Romans;
Bored aristocrats on vacation looking for a distraction;
Although I am distracted by my own tribal war here in America,
I am nothing like a bored and puerile aristocrat…
This landed me in a mawkish quagmire of self-pity;
In my mind I absconded into a journey of devilment to topple my torment;
Writing can be an exercise in discernment that you are inevitably
Obliged to submit for judgment; that is if you expect to make
An impact other than justifying your own derangement due to
Maladjustment…
“Your writing is not a good fit for our publication” was the nadir of my existence!!!
What did I write to warrant such specious offerings you may ask?
Well I wrote from the voice of an ignoble omnivorous muskrat
Whose sexual identify is non-binary;
Both a strumpet and a sthumpet!
And as an exponent of socio-political justice wrote hither and thither
An apocalyptic reverie about mutant muskrats;
A germane allegory or political fodder for the purpose of unveiling
pejorative prejudice;
Deciding to introduce a foreign element into an established
Yet insecure environment so to demonstrate the ensuing behavior
Of those who deem themselves superior;
The muskrat representing the only POC or person of color
In an all-white order where WASPS Rule!
WASPS being descendants of
Wealthy Anglo-Saxon Protestant Males
Feeling their long history of imposing their cultural values and
Socio-political power over “the other” that is
women and minorities…
Threatened by a neo-progressive era geared towards changing the status quo;
Clamping down on their suppression in retaliation to the
Nascent and unrelenting movement towards socio-political
And economic progression and equality
In this American Nation!
“Thank you for your submission
But your work is not a good fit for our publication…”
Really?!
So here I am, randomly musing about not being chosen…
Am I just a titular poet?
A deuteragonist in my own story?
When do I get to be the protagonist hero despite my AFRO?!
When do I get to be the plucky character in epics akin to
19th century iconoclastic South African king Shaka Zulu whose heroic story depicted
How he united tribal factions to create notable states and powerful African identities…or even
Anglo-Saxon and French epics like Beowulf together with Le Chanson De Roland?
Or even the archetypal Mesopotamian great:
The Epic of Gilgamesh;
Regarded as the earliest prototypical literature and the second oldest religious text…
“Your submission is not on par with our vision…”
Really?!
Even in the midst of global
Dissention and division?!
So we had artistic differences…I was the artist and they were indifferent.
But I decided to muse about it to manufacture
My own moment,
Fashion my own non-contentious and all-inclusive literary faction,
Where ALL postulatory voices are worthy of publication;
Because the acrimony of exclusivity is
A damnation!
I will continue to submit but NEVER to their behest for
Submission!!!
Jacques Fleury is a Boston Globe featured Haitian-American Poet, Author, Educator and literary arts student at Harvard University online. His latest book “You Are Enough: The Journey to Accepting Your Authentic Self” and other titles are available at all Boston Public Libraries, the University of Massachusetts Healey Library, University of Wyoming , The Harvard Book Store, The Grolier Poetry Bookshop, amazon etc… He has been published in prestigious publications such as Muddy River Poetry Review, 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.
Great birds
In the search of warm places,
Where are you going again?
Oh, cranes please get back,
And build the home of affection in heart.
Do not be afraid from the first fallen leaf,
Do not fly away, great birds.
Want to see a familiar face,
Birds like me whose hearts are burnt.
I follow you from behind,
All of you are leaving happily.
But remember I will wait,
Wait for you to come to me.
But I got upset from you, I have to say,
Listen to me hey, cranes.
One of your friends that has fallen from the row,
Is struggling, do not you see?!
And you, you are being just reckless,
Maybe it had the same intention as you.
The injured bird kept looking,
Looking long, from your back.
Oh great birds, great birds,
Burnt- heart- birds just like me.
Despite being unfaithful like humans,
Still, everyone loves you all.
Mashhhura Usmonova Zafarjon’s daughter was born on May 16, 2006 in Gallaorol district, Jizzakh region the Republic of Uzbekistan. Currently 16 years old. She has been practicing writing poetry since her 10 years old. Now, she is author of about 100 poems. She is member of the international organizations Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, Argentina and India. In 2019, the author’s book of poetry entitled “Happy Childhood Message” was published. In 2022, the second author’s book of poetry entitled “Letter…” was put up for 26 countries under the Amazon online store of the United States. In addition, her works have been published in book collections of the United States of America, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Germany, Thailand, Canada, UK, Kenya and Moldova. She likes to read books and travel. Her future goal is to become a philologist.
cry of a newborn -
the aroma of chicken broth
wafting from next-door
the feelgood sensation
of a sated mum
bikja ta’ tarbija tat-twelid –
tinxtamm ġejja m’għand il-ġara
l-aroma ta’ brodu tat-tiġieġa
is-sensazzjoni pjacevoli
ta’ omm sodisfatta
新生儿哭声
邻家飘来
鸡汤香气
饱腹娘
良好感觉
Christina Chin (Malaysia) / Paul Callus (Malta)
[Maltese translation by Paul Callus (Malta)]
[Chinese translation by Agnes Chin (Malaysia)]
----------------------------
meraki
strokes of passion
on canvas
the ink
of a calligraphy master
meraki
pinzellati passjonali
fuq it-tila
il-linka ta’ mgħallem
tal-kaligrafija
meraki
激情笔触
画布上
书法师
的墨水
Paul Callus (Malta) / Christina Chin (Malaysia)
[Maltese translation by Paul Callus (Malta)]
[Chinese translation by Agnes Chin (Malaysia)]
I READ...
I read ghazals, i read novels
I travelled, i smiled, and drowned .
Life's ain't like literature class, alas!
i failed in a story i owned...
Silence's neither being alive nor dying,
The most heavy blows of howl.
To smile while your crying,
A witch that break your soul...
Shamsiya Khudoynazarova Turumovna (February 15, 1973) was born in Uzbekistan. Studied at the Faculty of Journalism of Tashkent State University (1992-1998). She took first place in the competition of young republican poets (1999). Four collections of poems have been published in Uzbekistan: “Leaf of the Heart” (1998), “Roads to You” (1998), “The Sky in My Chest” (2007), “Lovely Melodies” (2013).
She wrote poetry in more than ten genres. She translated some Russian and Turkish poets into Uzbek, as well as a book by Yunus Emro. She lived as a political immigrant with her family for five years in Turkey and five years in Ukraine. Currently lives in Switzerland. Married, mother of five children. It was not possible to publish poems and translations written by the poet in the next ten years.
