Poetry from Taylor Dibbert

Meant To Be Together


His dear little London

Passed away today,

You never really know

How something like that

Is going to feel,

He’s hurting a lot,

That’s for sure,

But he’s mostly

Feeling so grateful

For the time

That they had together,

For everything that they shared,

Best buddies,

And when his time is up,

He knows what

He wants to do

Right after that,

He’s going to track down

That little London

Because the two of them

Are meant to be together.





Transforming Trauma 


He’s quite familiar with

The transformational power

Of poetry

To process grief

And to heal,

Things are about

To get

Very busy.





Taylor Dibbert is a writer, journalist, and poet. He’s author of the Peace Corps memoir “Fiesta of Sunset,” and the forthcoming poetry collection “Home Again.”

Essay from Zarina Abdulina (first of a series)

“Every teacher should be a psychologist, every psychologist an educator”

“The most important phenomenon in the school, the most instructive subject, the most living example for the student is the teacher himself or herself.”

~ Zarina Abdulina

In the creative pedagogical activity of a teacher, the key to success is the very process of creativity. The teacher acts as a comrade-in-arms, friend for children. Co-creation excludes an arrogant view of the child from the standpoint of adult experience. And in order to teach children something and raise real people out of them, it is necessary to focus on their requirements for us, teachers, and not just focus them on our requirements.

At present, when a person finds himself in a rapid flow of information, a lot is required from a teacher who adapts a growing person to these conditions. He must know and understand everything, be better and more perfect than any ordinary person. An ideally good teacher should rise above the human mass, demonstrating his knowledge, diversified development and bright talent!

The child begins to explore the world from the first day of his birth. Knows the subject to find out what it is for and how it is useful. The more things the baby learns, and the deeper he will study them. The concept of “modern teacher” is not limited by any framework. But at all times a teacher for people is a special person, an example for his students for life.

Thus, it turns out that a truly invaluable teacher is competent in many areas, teachers, psychologists, who are able to combine humanity and exactingness, and of course, love for their subject and mastery of its subtleties. The combination of these qualities helps the teacher to fulfill his main mission.

We all live in times of change: society, laws, charters, requirements for the school, for students, and, accordingly, for teachers are changing. But at the same time, the teacher’s ability to BE should remain unchanged: to be literate and competent, to be open to the different opinions of students and, of course, to be a person himself, and not a bureaucratic machine for the child, in order to hear him not only with ears, but also with his heart. Be sure to be, not to seem.

In the light of the foregoing, a rather serious problem in the pedagogical process of preparing a teacher of a particular subject is the transformation of the student’s personality in the future as a teacher-master (he will become a professional teacher in the process of teaching at school), capable of solving a fairly large variety of tasks related to learning, and education of schoolchildren. After all, a true teacher is also an educator. Unlike a teacher, a teacher teaches students not only their subject, but also teaches them how to live.

In order to be successful in teaching, teachers must have not only a deep knowledge of the subject, but also the most accurate understanding of people, their psyche and behavior. Consequently, a modern teacher is also a subtle psychologist. The teacher must be proficient in child psychology, understand the psychological state of the child and come to the rescue in time in difficult times.

And the last. In our opinion, it is extremely necessary to select teachers for schools, for universities for pedagogical specialties – applicants as strictly and biasedly as is done when enrolling in a higher educational institution. It is our deep conviction that only special individuals should receive the right to be called a teacher. Their pedagogical work should also be evaluated in a special way. To date, the status of a teacher, his financial situation, unfortunately, does not correspond to the importance of solving problems by him. And so we want our schools to always have the happiness of knowledge, the joy of communication in many languages, including foreign ones, an atmosphere of love and creativity, the unity of learning and teaching.

We can talk endlessly about the duties of an educator, but let’s not forget to tell them “Thank you!” for their endless work, patience and love for us, already native children. May your invaluable experience help our children grow up to be worthy and wise people. We wish you health, energy, strength and patience. Let positive, pleasant communication and interesting events adorn your lives.


Zarina ABDULINA

(student 3rd year) of Bashkir State Pedagogical University

named of after M. Akmullah

Poetry from Munavvar Boltayeva

Young Central Asian woman with brown eyes and long straight black hair. She's got earrings and makeup on and is wearing a white top and a blue jacket.
Munnavar Boltayeva

Mom...

If my head bows near the enemies.  
they took away my rights.  
I am left alone, 
I am speechless... 
Don't cry just looking at me, mother...

One day will come, 
I believe it will be a bright day. Everyone respects me and loves me. 
Then I will be your proud child. Don't cry just looking at me mom...

Well, whatever we say, 
I'm your unlucky daughter. 
You call me a flower, you call me a moon face, but I am not like that. 
I look beautiful only in your eyes. 
Just don't hide from me and cry, mom...

Munavvar Boltayeva  
Uzbekistan

Poetry from Mahbub Alam

South Asian man with short brown hair and glasses and brown eyes and a brown coat, collared shirt, and green and black tie. Headshot against a blue background.
Mahbub Alam

The Birds

Birds have no economy in their feathers

Flying towards limitless in the vast

No import or export calculation

For crossing the bars

No account or accountability for visa and passport

The vibrating heart swings to travel  —-

Without getting checked here and there in the bounty of nature.

Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh

28 April, 2023

The Evening Birds

You birds, fly away soon after my eyes fall on

Sounding sha sha in the wind

Suddenly the silence speaks out

Where do you fly away, dear?

Where is your destiny in this lovely evening hour?

On the way the green paddy fields

The blue sky over head, the large trees

Among all of them, you birds,

Fly on and on and fly away soon

Though to have some more and left me incomplete desire

Flapping so fast in this sweet evening, where?

Where is your ending point on the other side of my eyes, dear?

Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh

28 April, 2023

Essay from Gulsevar Xojamova

Young Central Asian woman with short black hair and a blue jacket and white blouse sitting at a desk writing.
Gulsevar Xojamova
MOTHERLAND

In my dream a man gave advice,
His words are bitter, but the truth is:
"Don't be careless, be careful when you are,
My words are wisdom, just remember."

Know that without labor the Motherland will not prosper,
There is love in this heart, he does not sleep at night.
God does not like a careless person.
Think of what you have done for the country.

A true man who appreciates women,
A moment to acknowledge the truth of life
Failure to complete the cycle
Push the drowsy soul, now awake

I woke up to the magic of words
You are my love, you are my freedom.
I planted the seeds of vigilance in my heart
I have given you this soul.

Gulsevar Khojamova
Student of Andijan State Pedagogical Institute

Essay from Qurbonova Gulsanam

Qurbonova Gulsanam
WHEN DREAMS TURN into GOALS 

Every person is born and begins to live with their dreams and hopes. Thanks to these dreams, people understand why they came to life and try to change themselves. When do dreams turn into goals? When we truly desire our goals, take the time to reach them, and chase them wholeheartedly, our dreams will surely turn into goals. A person without a goal never moves, he gets stuck in one place. A dream is only our desire, the purpose is to pursue it. Every A person who is determined and active achieves success. After reaching his goals, his self-confidence increases and he always looks to the future. A person with a clear goal is not afraid of falling in life, even if he falls, he gets up and starts walking towards his goals. The essence of life is to fall seven times and get up eight times. Always remember to turn your dreams into goals. Dreams only exist in dreams, their realization is shown with a goal, that is, our goals lead to results. Get motivation from successful people, exchange ideas with them, it's up to you to change your life. Always look at life with a smile. The key to success is in your hands. The whole world is with you. It's time to act.. .

QURBONOVA GULSANAM was born on April 16, 2006 in Dehkhanabad district of Kashkadarya region. She is currently a grade 10 student at school number 68 in Dehkhanabad district and is proud of the regional German language. She has also achieved many results in sports, table tennis, chess, checkers.

Poetry from Graciela Noemi Villaverde

Middle aged Latina woman with light brown hair, brown eyes, and red lips. She's wearing earrings and a necklace.
Graciela Noemi Villaverde

ELOQUENCE OF SILENCE

It’s time for the stone of everything that is not my silence

Of extinction, of total oblivion

Life forms endless furrows

Footprints of the road

Past mistakes sealing lips, looking up at the written pages

Eloquence of silence that sustains a silent wind

There is still so much beauty!!!

It is necessary to fall apart

Give in for a moment fair

To let the crying pass before being forgotten.

Graciela Noemi Villaverde has a degree in letters and is the author of seven books of poetry. She has been awarded several times worldwide. She works as the World Manager of Educational and Public Relations of the Hispano-Mundial Union of Writers UHE and as the World Honorary President of the same institution. She is a Buenos Aires-based Argentine writer.