In the orchard of knives, the trees whisper your name.
Mouths full of rotten fruit cackle at the blistered moon.
And you walk through, barefoot, picking the sharpest blade
to slice out the loneliness rooted in your throat.
Funeral Shoes
I bought a pair of funeral shoes today. Black leather, stiff as a scream. The assistant
smiled like a woman flogging coffins. Thought about returning them. Didn’t. I’ll wear them everywhere. To the bar. To the fights. To the last slow dance on earth. You never know when the ground will open up. And it’s best to be ready.
From Achilles’ Heel to the Path of Herakles: Greece Then, Now, and the Living Myth
Greece was not born merely from marble stones and temple ruins. It grew from the verses sung by rhapsodes, from the rage of Achilles, and from the heavy footsteps of Herakles conquering both myth and history. If Homer once portrayed humankind as the shadows of gods, modern Greece now walks the reality as the living shadow of its past. The journey from myth to the present is a long process of preservation and reinvention of identity.
Achilles: The Body, the Rage, and Modernity
Achilles in the Iliad is not merely a character; he is a metaphor: a flawless body with a hidden vulnerability, a blazing fury that shapes history. In modern art—such as Ernst Gustav Herter’s statue now standing proudly in Corfu—Achilles is portrayed as a symbol of athletic beauty and tragic downfall. His naked body is not mere aesthetics; it is a cultural legacy of humanity pushing its own limits. Modern Greece is no stranger to this inheritance. Amid economic crises, mass migration, and European Union politics, the nation reveals that the “heel of Achilles” is not always a weakness, but a compass of history that demands to be acknowledged. They understand that beauty is never sterile, and that anger, like in the Iliad, can be a source of strength. In Greece’s contemporary politics and culture, the traces of Achilles remain: fragile yet ablaze.—
Herakles: Mythic Road and a New Nationalism
Herakles, the hero who conquered Troy before Troy itself became a legend, is a symbol of perseverance, intellectual strength, and divine will grounded in humanity. In myth, he is the human son of Zeus; in modern Greek history, Herakles becomes a symbol of national revival—one that faces forward while carrying the weight of the past.Today, the “Path of Herakles” is Greece’s road to European modernity without abandoning its roots. When Greece plants solar panels in former olive fields, when Athens builds ultra-modern museums beneath the shadow of the Acropolis, when the Greek diaspora in Australia and Canada stages Homeric theater with postmodern settings—then Herakles walks again. Not to conquer monsters, but to conquer the amnesia of history.
Comparison: From Epic to Economy
Aspect Ancient Myth Modern Greece
Central Figures Achilles & Herakles
The People and the State
Challenges War, Gods, Monsters
Economic crises, migration, identity
Symbolic Body Athletic ideal & ruin Nationalism, defiance of EU stereotypes
Core Discourse The will of the gods The will of the people, modern democracy
Struggle Against fate (moira) Against rootless globalization—Architecture, Identity, and Memory
Just as the statue of Achilles sheds the heavy Mycenaean armor for a more dramatic aesthetic, Greece today sheds the burden of history to present itself as a center of new cultural dialogue. It does not dwell in the past, but uses the past as a tool—diplomatic, economic, and artistic. As Pliny the Elder once recorded the beauty of the nude in Greek art, so too does modern Greece expose itself—naked in debt, in crisis, in struggle. Yet from that vulnerability emerges European solidarity, a rethinking of democracy, and a reinvention of Mediterranean identity.
The Path of Herakles Is Not Yet Finished
Myths never die. They merely change form. Achilles today is the youth of Greece protesting in the streets of Athens. Herakles is now the cultural architect rebuilding Greece with knowledge and innovation. From gods to parliamentary democracy, one thing remains: Greece continues to rewrite itself—with pen, with sculpture, and with the courage to defy fate. In the land of the gods now ruled by bureaucracy, the path of Herakles goes ever onward.
West Sumatra, 2025…………“Dari Tumit Achilles ke Jalan Herakles: Yunani Dulu, Kini, dan Mitos yang Hidup”Oleh: Rizal Tanjung Yunani tidak hanya lahir dari bebatuan marmer dan reruntuhan kuil. Ia tumbuh dari syair yang dinyanyikan para rhapsode, dari amarah seorang Achilles, dan dari langkah berat Herakles yang berjalan menaklukkan mitos dan sejarah. Bila dulu kisah Homeros menggambarkan manusia sebagai bayangan para dewa, kini Yunani modern menapak realitas sebagai bayangan masa lalu yang terus dihidupkan. Perjalanan dari mitos ke masa kini adalah proses panjang antara pelestarian dan penciptaan ulang identitas.
Achilles: Tubuh, Amarah, dan Modernitas
Achilles dalam Iliad bukan hanya tokoh, ia adalah metafora: tubuh sempurna dengan kelemahan tersembunyi, kemarahan yang membakar namun membentuk sejarah. Dalam seni modern, seperti patung karya Ernst Gustav Herter yang kini berdiri megah di Corfu, Achilles dihadirkan sebagai simbol keindahan atletik dan kehancuran tragis. Tubuh telanjangnya bukan sekadar estetika; itu adalah warisan budaya tentang manusia yang melampaui batas.Yunani kini tidak asing dengan warisan ini. Di tengah krisis ekonomi, migrasi besar-besaran, dan debat politik Uni Eropa, bangsa ini menunjukkan bahwa “tumit Achilles” tidak selalu kelemahan, tetapi juga penanda arah sejarah yang tak bisa diabaikan. Mereka sadar bahwa keindahan tidak pernah steril, dan bahwa kemarahan, seperti dalam Iliad, bisa menjadi sumber kekuatan. Dalam politik dan budaya Yunani kontemporer, tampak jejak Achilles: rapuh namun membara.
Herakles: Jalan Mitis dan Nasionalisme Baru
Herakles, sang pahlawan yang menaklukkan Troya sebelum Troya sendiri menjadi legenda, adalah simbol dari ketekunan, kekuatan intelektual, dan kehendak ilahi yang “membumi”. Dalam mitos, ia adalah anak Zeus yang manusiawi; dalam sejarah Yunani modern, Herakles menjadi simbol dari kebangkitan bangsa — yang menatap masa depan sambil memikul masa lalu.“Jalan Herakles” hari ini adalah jalan Yunani menuju modernitas Eropa tanpa meninggalkan akar.
Ketika Yunani menanam panel surya di bekas ladang zaitun, ketika Athena membangun museum ultra-modern di bawah bayang-bayang Akropolis, ketika diaspora Yunani di Australia dan Kanada memanggungkan teater Homeros dengan latar pasca-modern — maka Herakles berjalan lagi. Bukan menaklukkan monster, tapi menaklukkan amnesia sejarah.
Perbandingan: Dari Epos ke EkonomiAspek Mitos Kuno Yunani KiniFigur Sentral Achilles & Herakles Rakyat dan NegaraTantangan Perang, Dewa, Monster Krisis ekonomi, migrasi, identitas budaya
Simbol Tubuh Ideal atletis & kehancuran Nasionalisme, perlawanan terhadap stereotipe EropaWacana Utama Kehendak para dewa Kehendak rakyat, demokrasi modernPerjuangan Melawan takdir (moira) Melawan globalisasi tanpa akarArsitektur, Identitas, dan IngatanSebagaimana patung Achilles menolak zirah berat Mykenai demi estetika yang lebih dramatis, Yunani hari ini menanggalkan beban sejarah untuk menampilkan diri sebagai pusat dialog budaya baru. Mereka tidak hidup di masa lalu, tetapi menggunakan masa lalu sebagai senjata diplomatik, ekonomi, dan seni.
Sebagaimana Plinius Tua mencatat keindahan telanjang dalam seni Yunani, begitu pula Yunani modern membuka dirinya—telanjang dalam utang, dalam krisis, dalam perjuangan. Tapi dari sana pula muncul solidaritas Eropa, pemikiran ulang tentang demokrasi, dan penciptaan ulang identitas Mediterrania.Jalan Herakles Belum SelesaiMitos tidak pernah mati. Ia hanya berubah bentuk. Achilles kini adalah generasi muda Yunani yang memprotes di jalanan Athena. Herakles kini adalah arsitek budaya yang membangun kembali Yunani dengan pengetahuan dan inovasi. Dari dewa-dewa ke demokrasi parlementer, satu hal yang tetap: Yunani terus menulis ulang dirinya — dengan pena, patung, dan keberanian melawan takdir.Di negeri para dewa yang kini dikuasai birokrasi, Jalan Herakles terus berlanjut.Sumatera Barat, 2025…….
If they are near you, when you are paying attention,
You will be lucky because of her prayers
Praying and asking for happiness.
As an angel mother on earth!
If you are sick, you have a headache
Thinking of you, my heart breaks every moment.
Paradise is the only example
As an angel mother on earth!
Nurullayeva Ra’no was born on September 13,2007 in Denov district of Surkhandarya region and is now busy with creativity. The first author’s book of our creator was published under the name ” Denov’s young creative daughter. ” It also has about 20 international certificates. Also, the author’s creative works have been published in many anthologies, such as ” Kalb gavhari ” ” Collection of creators” and “High flights ”
As a result, global warming is not only an environmental issue but also an economic and social one. It leads to serious problems such as climate change, rising sea levels, and a decrease in biodiversity.
Such changes pose significant threats to humanity: declining agricultural production, diminishing water resources, and increased pressure on healthcare systems, among others. Therefore, the issue of global warming requires international cooperation and necessitates that each of us contributes our part. To address this problem, it is crucial to implement modern technologies, utilize renewable energy sources, and promote an eco-friendly lifestyle. Global warming is one of the most pressing issues of modern times, related to the increase in the Earth’s average temperature. This process is primarily linked to the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as a result of human activities. Consequently, it leads to climate change, natural disasters, and the disruption of ecosystems.
There are many reasons for global warming.
The main causes of global warming include the burning of fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal), the use of chemicals in agriculture, and deforestation. These activities release carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases trap solar energy, causing the Earth’s temperature to rise.
Effects of Global Warming in the World
The effects of global warming are extensive. First, it leads to climate change, resulting in increased or decreased rainfall, droughts, and more frequent severe storms. Second, the melting of glaciers and rising sea levels threaten many coastal areas. Third, changes in habitats can affect animals and plants, potentially leading to a decrease in biodiversity
There are several solutions to mitigate global warming. First, diversifying energy sources and transitioning to renewable energy sources is essential. Solar, wind, and hydro energy can help reduce global warming. Second, improving energy efficiency and encouraging consumers to conserve energy is crucial. Third, preserving forests and planting new trees can help absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Global warming is a problem that threatens not just one country or region but the entire planet. Every individual, organization, and government must pay attention to this issue. Only by working together can we reduce global warming. This is vital not only for our generations but for our entire planet. The time to act is now!
Bakhora Bakhtiyorova Asliddin’s daughter was born 21 march 2006 in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Student of Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages. Volunteer ambassador, Member of the Juntos Por Letras writers organization in Argentina.
Would you read poems to me as wolves howl by moonlight?
Would you be that “uncle uncouth kook”
who scurry around with a black cape at night? Would you read to me about your obsession with your
elderly neighbor with the “evil eye” and
how in your madness you dismembered and buried him below your thighs ?!
Would you tell me about your pet bird “Raven”?
And that you often think about stuffing it in your oven?
Would you tell me incendiary tales of lurking males whose
murderous prowess never fails?
True! VERY true-you could be a shadowy vision in the night Hiding in your own fermented fright No friends or foe abide in your sight Only you seem to be the lone one under the cover of night HAWK! HAWK! Who goes there?!
And in that moment truth be true,
why you’re undertaking your own entombment
Resulting from autonomous nervous system reactions to loveless threats
Resorting to becoming a kook who cooks his pets!
An embodiment of dysfunctional patterns of psycho prototypes
Practicing man-made madness archetypes
negative neurological feedback loops succumb to lunacy
Living on chilling hills in your ominous haughty chateau
Where you’re likely to take down your victims
disguised as guests with just one blow!
Below you sit a body of water where bare bodies are submerged
and nightmares come true
And as mounting bodies are stacked,
To Boston you’ll turn your back too!
Your traumas, your wounds your trials
Lead to your passions your purpose
That which makes your pig lust hideous heart beat faster at midnight
Amidst the night when one longer stick lie atop a shorter stick and the
Coo coo c (l) ock COMES oooouuuuut to flip you his bird!
A ghastly desire that you must retire
Sunken shadowy “eye” peeping peep holes
Maladroit cataracts heal their woes
Oh! good god! this tell-tale is finally told!!
Now this heart no longer bears a confession to behold…–
Jacques FleuryJacques Fleury’s book You Are Enough: The Journey Towards Understanding Your Authentic Self
Jacques Fleury is a Boston Globe featured Haitian American Poet, Educator, Author of four books and a literary arts student at Harvard University online. His latest publication “You Are Enough: The Journey to Accepting Your Authentic Self” & other titles are available at all Boston Public Libraries, the University of Massachusetts Healey Library, University of Wyoming, Askews and Holts Library Services in the United Kingdom, The Harvard Book Store, The Grolier Poetry Bookshop, Amazon etc… He has been published in prestigious publications such as Wilderness House Literary Review, Muddy River Poetry Review, Litterateur Redefining World anthologies out of India, Poets Reading the News, 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.–
Uchechukwu Onyedikam (italic)
Christina Chin (plain)
harp-lute
a run of melody
widening
the baby lulled
to sleep
watching
two shadows
behind the stacked
wood pile
newborn puppies
the soul
entwined with
Gángan
the rhythm of pounding
prophecies
harmonic
phrasing of a dialect
unfamiliar jargons
scripted in my
prescription slips
twilight corner
all the memories
in the shade
skylight glimmers
the illipe nut canopy
