If Love Is Folly…
“If love is folly, I’m your fool. Give him
your pity, not your hate,”
he said upon the Junebug’s shell.
The ring of fire rounds the house.
Prevarication’s not your vice: you speak
black truth to summer’s eye.
You are not always loved for this. The
wanton greensward pecks the grass.
Perhaps a throw of rug would toss the air
with whiskers, spiders, mice.
A dodehexahedron stands immaculate on
green fields of ice.
I cannot say. I cannot know. For I am
mad for you, you know.
I break to justice, loss, and fate.
I litter pillows with my tears,
am lost in the forest of the years,
and no birds listen to my name.
And yet I have of wisdom won these few
aspersions to its rule.
Have you a right to happiness in this
one life you only know?
There is no other where but here;
the trick is catching fireflies before
they cinder to the skies.
Be kind to the thing that you call “me,”
you will be kind to humanity.
We are lost in the labyrinth
of time and space; infinity
is eternity’s other face.
Power, wealth and fame are phantoms,
and love is a beautiful illusion.
The distant battles end in war,
and there is the mouth of the cave. I feel
the thread that will save me from
the Minotaur.
_____
Christopher Bernard’s book The Socialist’s Garden of Verses won a PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Award and was named one of the “Top 100 Indie Books of 2021” by Kirkus Reviews.
Category Archives: CHAOS
Short story from Ismigul Nizomova

Nizomova Ismigul Zarif qizi, Shakhrisabz State Pedagogical Institute Master’s student
Meeting
Eyes meet. The boy smiles at the girl. The girl noticed it. His heart began to beat as if it had burst out of its sheath. He slowly looked at the ground and asked permission from his companion.
Wow, man was created and he is destined to descend into a place of testing called the world. Man’s life, love, career and even death is a test. Only the Almighty knows the greatness and smallness of the trial and the level of his servant in the presence of God. But love was not a simple test either. It was a great test. It was a hard test. It was a test that every lover could not bear and could not receive his love. It was a test of pure love, similar to the test of Yusuf and Zulaikha. This is what the girl thought (she realized it when she grew up). Thinking about it, the girl was at a loss for words. He looked only into the eyes of the man in front of him. He looked into the eyes of his beloved Suigani, the one he couldn’t forget even after years, the one he hoped to be together in heaven after the separation of the world. The eyes in front of him smiled. The girl couldn’t laugh. The feelings are confused.
How must she feel, poor girl? He didn’t notice as he walked out of his office. What if we worked on the same team, if our gazes met every day. He didn’t even know how he stopped the car with such thoughts in his head. He cried on the way. From the window of the car, she admired the beauty of the countryside in her youth, where she dreamed of going as a bride when she grew up. But no such luck. I wish it were as beautiful as this scene! Sometimes ordinary eyes are not enough to notice beauty. To realize the truth of beauty, besides two eyes, one also needs sight, that is, the eye of the heart.
Among the people of our time, those eyes are a blessing given only to the beloved of Allah. “We didn’t get it,” the girl read. ‘Well, I was young, but he is a man. Are you happy now? Is the world beautiful without me for the man who once said the world is beautiful with me?
A few years ago, the girl noticed that the hardships, aches and pains in her heart began to affect not only her soul, but her body as well. He realized this again when he looked in the mirror in his room. Complaining of fever, headache, insomnia, he began to cry again in his dark room. Complaining to anyone. There is a reward for the pains that were not told to the mother. This girl has pains and sorrows that she has not even told her mother about. How can she tell her mother that the one love of her life, the God-given love of her life, has re-entered her life and begun to affect her feelings?
No! No! I can’t tell her. She records the sounds of her heart in her journal. She seals it to make it easier for her. Why is he smiling at me? Or laughing at me? Why was I surrounded by incomprehensible feelings: sadness, humiliation, crying, deceit?
I was someone who loved, fought and lost. That’s all. I confessed. My goal is near the valley of loneliness. He loves me as his slave.
Years later, she realized That the only one she should trust, love, rely on and tell of her suffering was Allah. Now, as always, she remembered a verse of her favorite song, “They don’t call him a rich man, he has no country, for he’s a piece of heart.” “Yes, I have no country to my liking. I must keep this wealth and riches pure and prepare to meet God who created me, loved me, made me love, tested me, blessed me and made me dearer than all.”
“In sha Allah, the trials of life will one day end. The answers to the exam will be tested. And we will be victorious. Our meeting will be beautiful. Because you saved your money, I kept my love in my heart pure, and because I was able to laugh in this life even if it was hard. My liquid! Go and enjoy the ocean of knowledge, your students. I said: “Allah. I have a sea of patience. With wishes for a beautiful meeting,” said the girl, entrusting her beloved to God, and went to sleep.
Poetry from Michael Todd Steffen
Your Last Video
There’s our Jo Jo, in the video she
took of herself preparing a recipe for
braised beef neck bone and seasoned turnips
only a week or so before the accident
that devastated us. For the longest time
I couldn’t bring myself to watch the clip,
sorely aware that hand, pinching the salt,
busy with the knife and onion, now lay cold
in cherrywood in the Wisconsin earth.
The oaks through winter aptly wore no green.
Wind ushered cloudy skies. I’d forgotten
about it altogether. Then one day
there it was in my files, jo jo_s julia—
hovering out on a new PC’s large screen,
her voice chirping on to my astonishment.
Stir the vinegar briskly, adding oil,
a drop or two—oops, three… Strange how cooking
draws out the intensity in her, the swallowed
husky voice, her look’s aimed fire.
Why doesn’t Jo Jo smile? her mom frowned.
That isn’t my little girl. True to the mother
that somehow may never be consoled.
She was determined to succeed at everything,
shadow and pith, the hairbrush in her mirror
to the subtleties in settlement depositions—
vying for partnership in the firm.
Clyde her husband didn’t grasp every hand
extended from the sleeves of their tailored suits.
Her driver’s heavy foot was notorious.
Either you slow down, I once barked at her
from my squirming passenger seat,
or stop the damn car and let me out.
I’ll walk, I told her. Kill yourself if you want to.
I told her that. I didn’t mean it that way
of course, and how I deal with having said it
is with admiration for her persistence that could
make me say a thing because I meant it
beyond how out of line it was. Courage,
I often wonder, or restraint from offending,
which is the greater virtue? Honesty or kindness—
wholly ignoring the context of that morning
as though it were all fate for a type
of personality, all her will. And nothing to do with
the unseen ice on the road into the curve.
Essay from Shermatova Hilola Mirzayevna and Tolqinboyeva Odinaxon
THE ROLE OF THE IT SECTOR IN OUR LIVES
Shermatova Hilola Mirzayevna
Associate Professor, Department of Information Technology, Fergana State University
shermatovahilola1978@gmail.com
Tolqinboyeva Odinaxon Dilshodbek qizi
1st-year student, Faculty of Information Systems and Technologies, Fergana State University
—
Annotation:
This topic highlights the role and significance of the IT (Information Technology) sector in modern society. IT technologies are widely used in everyday life, as well as in education, healthcare, industry, and business. They help simplify human activities and provide quick and effective solutions. Therefore, the development of the IT sector is one of the key factors in the progress of any society.
Keywords:
Information Technology, modern life, efficiency, development, digitalization
—
The Role of the IT Sector in Our Lives
Information technologies (IT) have become an integral part of human progress today. The use of IT solutions is increasing in every sphere of our lives. These technologies not only simplify daily tasks but also lead to economic, social, and cultural changes on a global scale. The rapid development of the IT sector affects all layers of modern society and takes processes like information exchange, education, production, and management to a completely new level.
The Role of IT in Everyday Life
Nowadays, everyone feels the convenience of IT through tools like smartphones, computers, and the internet. People communicate instantly via social networks and messengers, shop online, and access services remotely. It’s even possible to order food, pay bills, receive education, or get medical advice without leaving home. All of this is the result of IT development.
IT Technologies in Education
One of the greatest achievements of the IT sector is the transformation of the education system. Through e-textbooks, online courses, and distance learning platforms (such as Coursera, Udemy, Khan Academy), students from any part of the world can receive a quality education. This became especially important during the pandemic, which clearly demonstrated the crucial role of IT in education.
IT Applications in Healthcare
In the medical field, information about patients is stored electronically, and doctors can access necessary test results within seconds. Telemedicine, AI-assisted diagnosis, and surgical operations using robotic assistants are among the most advanced IT achievements in healthcare. These technologies make health services faster, more accurate, and safer.
IT Advancements in Business and Industry
Modern business and manufacturing are unimaginable without IT technologies. Automated systems, financial apps, CRM systems, and AI-based analytical tools help companies simplify operations and increase profits. The e-commerce market is rapidly expanding and becoming a key branch of the global economy.
Importance of Cybersecurity
With the growth of information technologies, security has become a pressing issue. Protecting personal data, ensuring the safety of financial transactions, and maintaining the stability of government systems make cybersecurity an essential area. Therefore, cybersecurity experts are in high demand today.
IT Opportunities for Youth
The IT sector opens wide opportunities for young people. Young professionals are building careers in areas such as programming, web design, artificial intelligence, network security, and data analytics — achieving success not only locally but also internationally. The internet allows for self-learning, acquiring knowledge, and launching startups, which is one of the major advantages of IT.
Conclusion
Information technologies are fundamentally transforming society. They bring convenience, speed, and efficiency to human life. The development of the IT sector is not only a technical achievement but also a driver of cultural and social progress. Therefore, every young person should strive to study this field deeply and use it effectively.
—
References:
1. Xamidov S., To‘xtayev A. – Fundamentals of Information Technology, Tashkent, 2021.
2. Karimov I. – Fundamentals of Computers and the Internet, Tashkent, “O‘qituvchi” Publishing House, 2020.
3. Website: www.uzedu.uz – Information on the development of IT in Uzbekistan’s education system.
4. Website: www.stat.uz – Data from the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan (IT sector statistics).
5. Website: www.techradar.com – Articles on global development of modern IT technologies.
6. Website: www.who.int – The role of IT in healthcare (World Health Organization).
7. Online courses: Coursera.org and Khanacademy.org – Educational materials on IT.
8. UNESCO and ITU reports – Global indicators on information technology and digital development.
Poetry from J.K. Durick
Sounds of Work
Works going on down the street.
I can’t see it, but there’s plenty
Of noise coming this way. There’s
The noise of machines and trucks
Coming and going – grinding and
Whirring and crunching, the usual
Sounds of men at work; no, better
Yet – the eternal sounds of work
Getting done. The gangs of slaves
Slaving over the pyramids must
Have sounded like this. All that
Sand and geometry playing out.
Or the sound of that day they built
Rome. The Colosseum alone must
Clamored, like this, for attention.
I’m feeling what all those Pharaohs
And Emperors must have felt with
Noise playing out down their streets.
My gathering may be smaller, but
With all their machines and voices
Raised in the eternal workmen’s
Chorus about building, the sound
Must be almost the same.
$50.20
The amount is there
Hanging in space.
I owe them
This amount.
It’s overdue.
I owe an overdue
Amount.
They’re sure I do.
This second notice
Seems serious.
They’ll offer a plan
To pay the amount
Over time
Monthly installments.
When I ask why I owe
This overdue amount
They become vague.
I just wonder
How I can owe and
They can’t tell me
Any details about
What they did or
What I might have done
To get this
Now overdue amount.
11:07
11:07 it says, even though 11:08
Is ready to pop up, a foregone
Conclusion. It does that, keeps
Moving up, moving along. It’s time
And never waits, is never polite
About the way it treats us. There
Once was the minute hand always
Sweeping along, chasing us as we
Made the best of what’s happening.
Now the numbers in the bottom left
Corner of the screen measure us
Push us, pull us, threaten us, cajole
Us, remind us, remind us of these
Numbers piling up. Am I late again?
Early? Then, what’s next to do, to be
Done? 11:07 is moving fast, is getting
Away, became 11:08, 09 …. While I
Was sitting here trying to still their
Shifting, their forever mounting up.
It’s now 11:26. 19 minutes have gone
By, disappeared into where I’m going
Moving into time, becoming part of
The past that’s kept carefully by my
Laptop, down in the left-hand corner
Just above the day/month/year that
I’m stuck in.
Poetry from Manik Chakraborty

Mother
Mother, who puts me to sleep,
The moonlight,
The darkness disappears after receiving the caress of mother’s hand.
I listen to the story of mother’s face,
In the land of the princess,
I get lost in the dream,
In that unknown land.
Mother, who is the smile on my face,
The happiness that makes my mind forget,
When I get mother near me,
There is no more sorrow.
Mother, who is full of my love
The bright green sheet,
I was born in my mother’s lap
All my love.
Mother is the language of my mouth
Mother is my land
Holding mother’s gentle hand
I walk with the happiness of my heart
Poetry from Murodullayev Umidjon

WHO IS A FRIEND?
Just yesterday, I saw a question posed,
Asking for a definition of true friends.
I paused, lost in thought, considering my response,
Six letters came to mind, a word so grand.
What qualities define a genuine friend?
The question pierced my heart, sharp and profound.
Then, with sincere hope, I could finally contend,
A pure heart, noble intentions, all around.
In times of hardship, a true friend will seek,
To offer solace, a companion’s embrace.
Words fail to capture the qualities we speak,
The kind of comrade humanity would embrace.
I haven’t found what my heart truly desires,
A true friend, a figure like parents so dear.
This longing within my soul still transpires,
For a bond so strong, a friend always near.
Murodullayev Umidjon Rustam o’g’li was born on November 2,2006,in the Narpay district of the Samarkand region.
He is currently a student of Tashkent State of Transport University.