Eight Day Weeks


Between
sunny Sundays
and
blue Mondays,
laid a day
so dark
and full
of hate
that it shall
not be named.




Gray


There's no black,
there's no white.
There's no wrong,
there's no right.
There's no good,
there's no evil.
There's no dark,
there's no light;

because just before
the looming storm,

exists distant, infinite
shades of gray.




Thoughts and Prayers


When a national tragedy
becomes just another day
and the news is always
"BREAKING",

grab a letter sized
white envelope
and fill it with all of the

thoughts and prayers

from your big heart
and your little head,
then lick and seal it
shut before they escape
into the open air,
stick on a stamp,
and wait until the
next day's tragedy
for the address
to mail it to
your child's school.




Hello Sorrow


Hello Sorrow
my first friend,
will you allow
me to drown
in burning rivers
of fire water,
or float like
a hollow log
as you hover over
the ghostly souls
of all who you
have met before,
until you arrive
to make the
skies cry,
or will you keep
me afloat like
a log flowing
downstream,

and we meet again,
my last friend.




Even When You're Dead


Even when you're dead
the neurons keep firing

ping-zing-bing-ding
against the inside of the skull,

but tricking others into thinking
that figeting, flickering and flinching
doesn't mean that you're still living.

On Decay

Someday, the earth shall sink our bodies into her somber soil. 

Our expressions will still, slip and melt, iris eternally slept to the sounds above.

Marigolds and mignonette will mingle in our eyesockets as their stems and seed speckle the surface.

As the bubbles in our blood break, the lingering love will liquefy into the expanse of the lusting, fertile terrain.

The cloth coating our flecked figures slowly frays and fragments, formerly protecting; 

Now naked and pure for the glossy mahogany and roses ringing our forms.

The mauves, azures, and sepias will frolic from our fingertips into into the firmament.

Bleeding and blooming at the break of dawn.

Time tips and the trapping of our entombment softens and starts to rot, returning to the tranquil trance of the planet as a sparkling spring star. 

how much money
 
a few women in the last
couple of days have told
me i don't look my age
 
i laugh, tell them thanks
and then ask how much
money are they looking
for
 
i certainly love how
honesty throws them
off and when i'm not
interested in seeing
them naked for just
a few dollars
 
they quietly go away
 
apparently, this sucker
has grown up
-------------------------------------------------------------------
lose yourself
 
the receptionist reminds
me of this girl i used to
flirt with back in high
school
 
amazing smile, dark
eyes, smooth brown
skin with an ass you
could lose yourself
in for hours
 
in high school, it only
got to the stage of
kissing
 
i see the rock on the
receptionist and know,
this won't even get
that far
--------------------------------------------------------------------
some kind of music
 
i don't trust a waiting
room that isn't playing
some kind of music
 
it's obvious,
this office wants the
patients to have nothing
but impending doom
on their minds
--------------------------------------------------------------
and the moment i decide
 
i wonder when
the relief of
death will
knock on
my door
 
i'm patiently
waiting as
best as i can
 
i figure, my life
will change, i'll
be active in the
world and the
moment i decide
life is a beautiful
thing
 
i'll hear a knock
and realize i never
was smarter than
when i was eight
years old
-------------------------------------------------------------
your profile photo
 
these younger
women these
days make me
laugh
 
like i'm supposed
to believe you really
are the adult film star
in your profile photo
 
and when i catch
them in the lie it
gets even better
 
and sure, they all
think i'm handsome
and all have been
abused one way
or another
 
it never dawns on
them the amount
of abuse i have
survived
 
you can't bullshit
a survivor

J.J. Campbell (1976 – ?) is trapped in suburbia, plotting his escape. He’s been widely published over the years, most recently at Misfit Magazine, just good poems, The Beatnik Cowboy, Horror Sleaze Trash and The Black Shamrock. You can find him most days on his mildly entertaining blog, evil delights. (https://evildelights.blogspot.com)

MOTHER

This time I got a pen, for you mom,
I was looking for words like your kindness.
Dare to go today
Just wanted to say I'm fond of you 
Actually you are my endless verse,
I have hidden in the bottom of my heart.
Mother, mother, I've said it a thousand times,
You are my sun, the light in my eyes.
Sometimes I couldn't speak my mind,
I couldn't stand and hug you!
Sorry, I couldn't kiss your hand.
I wish these days would come back, mother
I wish I could honor you, mother.
The education you gave me has blossomed today.
I took a place in the heart of teachers.
Your bitter words opened my eyes,
You, my friend, are full of advice!
You planted a seedling with hope,
You will be the best gardener.
With praise, applause, recognition,
You will be a perfect mother!


CONGRATULATIONS TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE

The Uzbek people are young people,
Lover of youth.
Respectfully,
An uplifter.
Young people are ours,
Owners of our tomorrow.
Our pride is our honor,
Trusts of our country.
Be wise, smart,
Intelligence is unique to you.
Smart kids like you
Suitable for great ancestors.
Today is a beautiful holiday,
Let it be forever.
Be happy, be happy, be happy
Congratulations from the bottom of my heart.
Dear President,
Attention is ours.
Today is a celebration,
All boys and girls!

Nozima Ulug’ova was born on October 13, 2001 in “Yosh gayrat” neighborhood, Shorchi district, Surkhandarya province. He graduated from the 37th general education school in the Shorchi district and at the same time, the Nukus branch of the State Institute of Arts and Culture of Uzbekistan “Art Studies” 3rd-level student of the department “Dramaturgy of Stage and Screen Art”. In 2022, his creative author collections “Mother for you” and “Salvation” were published and gained their readers. At the same time, his creative story is among the young artists of Uzbekistan. “Culture”, “Creative Flight”, “Women and Time”, “Surkhan Youth”, “Morning Star” are examples of creativity in our republic. It is  covered in newspapers, “Gulkhan” magazine and “Nurli Jol” newspaper of Kazakhstan. The young penman did not limit himself to creativity, but participated in conferences and scientific meetings in prestigious journals with a factor recognized by OAC with about 20 scientific articles, pamphlets and theses.”Samarkand Youth Forum 2021″ “Uzbekistan Development Forum 2021” Participant of several forums and conferences, festivals and seminars. Nozima Ulug’ova in Personal development & Step into the international sphere Course, because he was able to show his activity and interests in the fields of literature and art in this course .Creativity Forum for Culture, Arts and Peace International member, Active member, working Group of International writers “Jontous por las Letras” Iqra Foundation has received membership offers from several international organizations in its field.

TODAY AND TOMORROW

Do you struggle to get up in the morning?
Remember when you had an important job and overslept on the day of your exam?
No, because you know why you need to wake up.
When you wake up in the morning, look out the window,
spring is around, if you look around when it’s late after spending the day, autumn has come
This morning, another door of opportunities was opened for us to change our lives. A new day was given. Draw a conclusion from your mistakes, don’t repeat those mistakes this morning!!!

Our first task in this life is to make ourselves happy. To be able to set goals for our own life, to live by ourselves. To think about our future at least a little, to think about who we are now. and we have to start by realizing who we will be in the future!!! First of all, the first principle of human life begins with self-acceptance. Accept yourself. The people around you are like a mirror to you. Be able to see your mistakes and shortcomings. Keep negative people away from you.

Don’t pay attention to the people who laugh at you saying “You can’t do it” and keep silent! Be committed to your goals. Don’t give up on trivial excuses and don’t be weak! The world is not all rainbows and shining sun. The world is very cruel and only the strong can endure. You and I or no one can hit as hard as life hits. It’s not about how much life can or can’t hit you. No matter how hard it hits you. It’s not about how many hits you can take.

Don’t point the finger at others saying that it happened because of him when you’ve taken the blows. This is an act of absolute cowards, and you should separate yourself from them.
For people in this life, it doesn’t matter how much you are struggling and you are giving all your strength to it. What is important for people is the RESULT you have achieved. ‘changing result. If you say that one day you will not be a slave to people who have a purpose, act today. It’s okay if you have fallen a thousand times, don’t stop! Get up, it might be the same this time. Search, develop, grow, work more on yourself! Don’t give up hope every day you are given an opportunity. Don’t look for excuses…. Never… don’t look for excuses..

Are you not getting enough sleep at night? Are you out of strength?…If you work harder than today, someday people will work for you.

Stay away from people who have a bad opinion about you. Be purposeful with a plan! Link your life to goals. Try to find your own solution to the problems that arise. If you don’t fight to find the solution to those problems, it will never end..Make time count…Every minute..Every hour seconds.Those SECONDS can bring success to your ascension. You may have made mistakes in the past. Don’t dwell on those mistakes for too long. Draw conclusions from them! Draw conclusions from what those mistakes gave you and what they took away from you. Make a new decision! Make a plan for your life. If you dwell on the past for too long, you may miss the opportunities that have been given to you in your present life. Don’t torture yourself with the past. Live only with the future. Be able to see your achievements in it. Action! Action and only Action! .,WITHOUT ACTION. nothing can be achieved. Believe in your own strength and knowledge. Everything in this life will end. However, knowledge is an exception. No matter how much it is spent, it will not end. And its zakat is to give to others. If you say that you can act, hundreds of thousands of dying cells in your brain will be activated. You only and just believe in yourself. Put the “I must do it” thing in front. Test yourself every minute and second!

Bakhora Bakhtiyorova.

Training and Visit in Thailand

At First I thank the authorities of the ministry of education of Bangladesh and the authorities of TQI -II project for this nice and excellent arrangement for the overseas training of the secondary school teachers to meet with the challenges for fulfilling the demands of 21 century education plan. Now Bangladesh is a developing country and we are living in a globalized world where the countries are living as the families in the villages. So communication has become a great factor nowadays. Our government is trying to develop the four skills listening, reading, writing and speaking specially for the secondary level students in English language. As it is the only medium for communication with the other countries of the world, there is no exception without developing competencies and skills for teaching in English language. English is not only a language but also a culture. So, we, the language teachers should have the experience of overseas training to implement the methods and techniques of the developed countries regarding the classroom situation and it must have a direct impact on dealing with the regular classroom activities.

With a great effort of our team leader Professor Mohammad Jahangir Hossain, Deputy Project Director (Finance and Admin), TQI-II project along with Khaleda Akhtar, deputy secretary, Ministry of Education and Assoc. Prof.  Manzar Alam, Additional Director, HSTTI, Khulna, a full package of our 25 members started for Thailand by plane from Dhaka Airport just at 11.05 am on 16 September, 2018. Thailand is in the middle of mainland Southeast Asia.  Its total size is 513,120 square km which is the 50th largest in the world. 

Before flying to the land our Project Director, Mr. Jahir Uddin Babor sat with us and suggested many good things on how to suit with the culture of the people in Thailand. Different country has different culture and tradition. So, how we should behave and what should be our mission and vision thinking all sides our project director made us conscious of this. As a team leader Prof. Jahangir Hossain guided us very strictly. When our plane landed in Thailand airport, we all became astonished to see the world famous airport, Subornobhumi.  This is also a lesson for us how fast the world is running and how the artistic beauty lies in the architectural structure. Then the two guides Annie and Chu waiting for us at the airport gate, smiling soft over the face, received us very cordially and took us to the President Park Hotel by three micro buses.

To describe the impact on overseas training firstly I want to utter from my realization that a teacher cannot establish himself as a good teacher without being a proper and a good learner. He/She must raise himself to be a kinesthetic and at the same time an auditory learner as he/she is a language teacher. For this reason tour or sightseeing can provide much opportunity for developing these capacities in the classroom situation. Our government is trying to develop our education system in all regards. So overseas training in Thailand and its sightseeing is very important to learn on how to develop the participatory method in the classroom situation. It can help the teachers develop the learning activities following the rules of teaching and learning process through pedagogy.

Our training in Thailand fulfills the demand that our government runs with the plan SDG (Sustainable Development Goal). In Bangladesh the English language class in the secondary level is designed in the curriculum of participatory approach. So teachers must have the practical experience to engage the learners more interestingly. Therefore I think that this sightseeing experience has a great impact on teaching and learning in the classroom situation.         

On the next day on 17 September, 2018 we set out for a tour or sightseeing at 10.30 a.m. as there was no training session on that day. Both Chu and Anny guided us and they took us in Santichaiprakan Park, meaning the park a fort, the victory of peacefulness. Here from the old one alone to the young couple or lovers may come to have a peace in the breeze of the river, Chao Phraya under the shade of the banyan and other large trees. In the north side corner of the park there inlays on the walls sculptures of the various cultural people of Thailand who contributed in so many areas like agriculture, art and craft, patriotism and so on. These cultural people remind us the famous line, “Art for art’s sake,” that expresses a philosophy of the intrinsic value of art. Through these cultural reminders we can remember our famous personalities for their great contribution in literature, art and politics like famous poet Hason Rasa, Jasim Uddin, Shamsur Rahman etc, famous painters Zainul Abedin, Quamrul Hassan, SM Sultan etc., famous politicians with patriotic feelings sacrificed their lives for our language and country. They are Salam, Barkot, Shafiq, Rafiq, Jabbar, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Mawlana Bhashani, Hussain Suhrawardi etc. If the pictures are shared in the classroom among the students and make an environment to compare the things in between Thailand and Bangladesh, it must broaden the outlooks of our students.

The Park is situated on the east bank of the river Chao Phraya. Over the river we saw a hanging bridge on the opposite side of the park that enhances the beauty of the sight. It’s a nice place indeed. Then we started for Wat Aurun Buddhist Temple. Wat Aurun is called the Temple of Dawn, located on the western bank of the Chao Phraya River. This temple is one of famous landmarks of Bangkok. It was constructed in the 17th century, and is very attractive in its striking prangs (pagodas). Its central prang is 82 metres high which is the tallest prang in Thailand. This temple reflects the beam of the sun rise and the sun set which charms the tourists very much. These temples have religious, social and moral values which reflects its artistic infrastructural beauty to the heart and by sharing the sights with my students in the classroom they must grow a new idea about Thailand and can compare Bangladesh with its religious and cultural diversity. After visiting the temple we returned the President Park Hotel at the evening.  

Sightseeing is one of the important parts of any overseas training. 

In our fourteen days training program almost every day we visited so many important and traditional places. So, on the first session of our training our facilitator, Mr. Chukiat Ruksorn, Director, ETO (Extension and Training Office), KU (kasetsart University) suggested us to visit the country and gather experience. We visited so many shopping malls like MBK market, Indira market etc. We visited The Nongnooch Garden and Resort, The Orchid, Pattaya Sea Beach, Gems Gallery, Art Gallery, Floating Market, Grand Place etc.

After coming back from Thailand when I open my videos and picture galleries from laptop and show my students the Subornobhumi Airport and the sceneries of floating market in the grade eight class while going through the lessons in the class they become so happy and feel very interested. There are some lessons on The Tha Kha Floating Market and The Subornobhumi Airport in our grade eight English text book. So regarding all the things our oversea training in Thailand has direct impact on the teaching and learning process in Bangladesh that can enhance the beauty of teaching technique in the classroom situation.

From visiting Ruamrudee International School in Thailand, we got some new experiences and the students of that school are thought in full English language. The syllabus is maintained from America. At that time there were 100 teachers teaching in that school and the school was run by four fathers. Teaching side by side co-curricular activities are the regular practice of the school. It is one of Thailand’s leading international schools and a model of excellence and innovation in global education. This school is run with the philosophy by creating an environment for teaching the students with care and compassion which we, the teachers of Bangladesh can follow and make our learners more progressive by following the innovative approach to education.

Visiting to Grant Palace & Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha): The Grand Palace and this temple located in the same compound in the very heart of Bangkok, are most frequently visited by foreign tourists and local people alike. The Grant Palace is famous for its impressive buildings and was established on 06 May, 1782. Beside this palace, the Wat Phra Kaeo is renowned as the most beautiful and important Buddhist temple in Thailand. It is so richly and intricately decorated that once entering the temple, visitors will feel as if they were in a real “city of angel”.

In Bangladesh from the teachers’ overseas training experience this Grand Place can be used for improving the listening skills in the classroom for the students and they can get new idea about the new place. Or it can be used as the teaching and learning process in the classroom for discussing after showing the video or picture of The Grand Palace. It can be used as on how to maintain knowledge and skills in the educational context and it considers interactions engaging the teacher with the students during learning. This act of teaching process follows pedagogy referred to our curriculum. 

Art Gallery: There is an art gallery in Pattaya, “Art in Paradise.” This Art Gallery symbolizes the beauty of the modern world. It is divided into different theme halls. This is an imaginary world or a dream land where the visitors can let their imagination go wild or pose in the way they can think of to get their photos. Art in Paradise is divided in several sections as classic art, nature, ancient civilizations and optical illusions. When these pictures are described in the class, students can have a new dimension of art and be inspired to painting. In the language class this Art Gallery can be a nice presentation in the classroom where teachers must play the creative role for engaging all the students for their group discussion in participation method. It must broaden the imaginative power among the students. 

Gems Gallery: Gems Gallery in Pattaya is a world famous gallery. Visitors from all over the world come here and buy the ornaments from here. The gallery provides the visitors with a certificate of quality for all products and gives a lifetime guarantee. This can be set as for an example in grade eight lessons about divers who would like to collect valuable jewels and minerals from the ocean in the past.

Pattaya Sea Beach and Koh Larn Island: Pattaya Sea Beach is the most popular beach with its beautiful sights, beach-front accommodations, entertainment, complexes and restaurants. It is a nice spot for swimming and sunbathing. Koh Larn is a small Thai Island off the coast of Pattaya, in the gulf of Thailand. It’s known for its beaches, set against a backdrop of wooded hills. The beach is famed for its clear blue water and sunset views. This can be a nice comparison between the Cox’s Bazar Sea Beach and the Pattaya Sea Beach. Koh Larn Island can be compared to the St. Martin Island in our country. The students can compare the Islands as their class test and it works as continuous assessment that develops their writing skills to prepare for the summative assessment.

Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden: Only 18 km from Pattaya, it’s a paradise on earth with amazing variety of plants in photographic garden settings. We enjoyed daily cultural and elephant shows and delicious Thai foods here. This is an excellent experience life to develop our inner beauty.

The Orchid and the Baiyoke Sky Hotel:  These two sights are also very important for its beauty and new experience looking around from above 100 more storied building. What a nice experience we got to have our launch there. We came to know the eating habits there.

People in Thailand always in every shop use their computer to pay the bill for the customers. As Bangladesh is developing and our government is trying heart and soul for this development and digitalization, within very short time we will see the same use of the computers in the shops. So the use of ICT is also needed in our classroom for our generation.  

So undoubtedly it can be said very clearly that through the training in  foreign land one can enrich himself/herself by achieving the target goal and at the same time can build up his/her profession career. In this way if the training is continued in some more developed countries then we, the teachers of language would be enlightened for teaching our generations successfully and the dream of our great leader, Bangabandhu would come true.

paper tigers straddle
these doorways of perception
while we grow sleep in
those rusted mortal chains
bound by future desires
they block the tirade of jobcentre queues
                                                   gentle
                                               on the breeze
where chapters bind us (lost words)
roar to the core         animal entrapment
they hear you calling     from far away
& freeze in the moment




2/
dissemination murals
crack of dawn shadings
turning off capitalism’s filth
jaws/darkness/hunches towards
failing light
along a promenade at midnight
                                fools’ gold folds into sea
                                entry into schools/teachers decapitated 

from knowledge
fishmongers gone ashore cruelly joke
recording debits from credit card union
debasement’s brass etchings

3/
judges in plaster-cast moons
resulting hybrid benefactors
tracing etchings’
steps of wounded soldiers/
their pleas fall on/deaf ears

rattling drums/rattle snakes
(all)

encircled by bankers’ crumbs
bestowing on the headland
breaking wave gestures
tide’s fortitude

4/
fading light surrounds womb
             plastic cups social discourse
returning by memory’s see-saw swing
democracy’s wild call – a note from the press
motions
to sea-sick sailors (come)
audio then visual deprivations
outside those freezing chessboard nations

men in uniforms
split their sides
castigating new verbs

5/
desperately seeking fortunes
idle chatter frays on mudflaps
the gin-soaked body of wasted away
(passing their sealed lips)

stacked crazy artisans
rest a while this balance

in rear-view mirrors
at the factory’s birth
akin to 1960’s wallflowers

dishing the dirt on helpless presidents
context of the beat
conflict of defeat
bearing witness to eggshell crossroads


6/
dramatic intrigue as
shoelaces recapture
stepping gundogs which
sniff the air
(walking)
charitable cops
disregarding replica prime ministers
fooled into lapsing to
another doggy language
howling in this aftermath
where days emblazon
new colours for old spring collections
daffodils worn in the emptiness
as unemployment discolours
  

7/
junk heart stakes out
gentle malnutrition
seedlings posing perpendicular prosedy
across choppy sea disasters
as gesticulating bureaucrats
wander deserts & gypsy
hymns decline
racial origin
forceful adjectives
hasten to kaleidoscopic horizons
traces on the shoreline
passing scoundrels declare
gaping wounds of love
then whisked off by
amateur chauffeurs
each with splendid haircuts
from 1958 movies
& delicate bone structures
carve intimate knowledge
across these cracks of desire

Clive Gresswell is a 65-year-old innovative writer and poet with many publications to his name. His sixth poetry book, a 16,000-word stream-of-consciousness prose poem Shadow Reel, will be available through Amazon in July.