The Focus of the Moon

As the moon rises in the morning sky,
Why does my courtyard not fill with light?
As the deep darkness casts its shadow over the moonlit glow,
Why does my sky still remain without light?

At the twilight of life,
How many faces appear before my eyes,
Floating through the pages of memory—
By the shore of the sea,
Where water glimmers beneath the moonlight,
Upon the breast of distant, unknown mountains.

What is that line of shadow
That reaches into the faraway?
What is that path
That brings two distant journeys together?

Ah, the moon has risen upon the moonlit water—
And perhaps the stream of life awakens once again.
Across the courtyard, the shimmering light
Spills and scatters like a sparkling cascade;
And once again, across that vast sky,
A thousand stars shine, washed in silver moonlight.

The dawn breaks through the darkness
And draws a new path across the sky.
From life to life,
The stream of life flows on and on.

Perhaps that is why
The sky becomes so lost within itself,
Drunk with its own radiance.

Perhaps that is why…

Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh

11 August 2026.

Md. Mahbubul Alam is from Bangladesh. His writer name is Mahbub John in Bangladesh. He is a Senior Teacher (English) of Harimohan Government High School, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh. Chapainawabganj is a district town of Bangladesh. He is an MA in English Literature from Rajshahi College under National University. He has published three books of poems in Bangla. He writes mainly poems but other branches of literature such as prose, article, essay etc. also have been published in national and local newspapers, magazines, little magazines. He has achieved three times the Best Teacher Certificate and Crest in National Education Week in the District Wise Competition in Chapainawabganj District. He has gained many literary awards from home and abroad. His English writings have been published in Synchronized Chaos for seven years.

Once when he was in grade ten in 1990, his Bangla letter was selected as the best one from Deutsche Welle, Germany Radio that broadcast Bangla news for the Banglalee people. And he was given 50 Dutch Mark as his award. They would ask letters from the listeners to the news in Bangla and select one letter for the best one in every month.     

From 17 to 30 September, in 2018 he received a higher training in teaching English language in Kasetsart University of Thailand for secondary level students through a government order from education ministry. 

On 06 November 2015 he achieved Amjad Ali Mondal Medal for his contribution in education field by a development organization in the conference and felicitation function for the honorable personalities at Rajshahi College Auditorium. 

On 30 December 2017 from West Bengal in India he was declared a ‘Literary Charioteer’ in Bangobandhu Literary and World Bango Conference and they awarded him with a Gold Medal in their International Literary Conference and Prize Giving Ceremony.

In 2018, he achieved Prodipto Lirerary Award in Prodipto Literary Conference at Kesorhat, Rajshahi for poems in Bangla literature. He received honorary crest from the administration of Chapainawabganj District Literary Conference and Cultural Function in 2021 and 2022 consecutively. 

His poems have been published in many international online magazines such as Juntos Por las L Raven Cage Zine, and Area Felix.  His poems have been translated and published in Argentine and Serbian, and he participated in many international online cultural meetings. 

How Fortunate That You Exist, My Sister Gulnoza

(To my dearest mentor in the medical field, my dear sister Karomatova Gulnoza)

Enduring so much hardship, staying awake at night,

Feeling your patient’s pain as if it were your own,

Speaking sweet words, never getting tired,

How fortunate that you exist, my sister Gulnoza

Because of you, my heart has also found peace,

From the bottom of my heart, my love and loyalty are for you,

I love you, and only you,

How fortunate that you exist, my sister Gulnoza

Tell me, what would I do if you weren’t there?

I would still be walking with a heavy illness,

I would fade away hopelessly and sorrowfully in grief,

How fortunate that you exist, my sister Gulnoza

May you always be healthy and safe for my happiness,

May you always walk with joy and rejoice,

Know that you are the absolute best for me,

How fortunate that you exist, my sister Gulnoza

Opening my hands in prayer, I ask of Allah,

I wish the most beautiful blessings and happiness for you,

How can I ever repay the debt of your kindness?!

How fortunate that you exist, my sister Gulnoza

Rayhona Sobirjonova is a talented young writer and first-year university student, born in December 2008 into an intellectually nurturing family. Supported and encouraged by her parents from an early age, she has developed a deep passion for literature, history, and creative expression. She began her creative journey in the 3rd grade, and her works have since been published in numerous international journals and newspapers. This curious and driven young writer continues to constantly explore and grow!

CALÌ VELELA, FROM ITALY TO INDIA: A VOICE AGAINST INVISIBLE WOUNDS

Literary awards, Milan Design Week, a new book and her participation in IMMERSIVE VOICES: the Italian author’s work crosses the boundaries between psychology, literature and rebirth

There are wounds that leave no marks on the skin. Calì Velela has chosen to write about them. Today, her voice is beginning to travel beyond Italy’s borders.

With a degree in Clinical and Community Psychology and eighteen years of previous registration with the Professional Register in the Emilia-Romagna Region, Calì Velela is today a writer and communicator working at the intersection of psychology and literature.

At the heart of her writing lie the less visible dynamics of violence: psychological manipulation, the gradual loss of self-determination, isolation, silence and the fragmentation of identity. Yet her work does not stop at the wound itself. Above all, it seeks the moment when a person begins to recognise themselves again.

Her new book, Ho ballato con il diavolo (I Danced with the Devil), published in 2026 by Pegasus Edition, is an epistolary memoir built around a true story of violence, loss and rebirth. Through its protagonist, Estella, and a correspondence that gradually brings the fragments of a life back together, the book leads readers into the most intimate dimensions of abuse, survival and resilience.

Calì Velela’s literary journey has already received significant recognition.

With La Rishika – colei che vede dove nessuno guarda (La Rishika – She Who Sees Where No One Looks), she won Third Prize in the Unpublished Fiction section of the International Juan Montalvo Literary Art Prize.

The same work also received the Special Prize for a Book Outside Competition at the 8th International Literary Award Carità è Donarsi.

A further recognition connected to La Rishika followed at the 9th edition of the 2026 International Poetry and Literature Prize Isola d’Elba – Ascoltando i silenzi del mare.

The title itself contains an essential part of Velela’s poetics: seeing where others do not look, recognising what remains submerged, and giving words to experiences too often lived in silence.

Calì Velela has also appeared on one of Italy’s most important cultural stages.

In April 2026, during Milan Design Week, she was among the guests at Custode, an event by 03STUDIO LAB held at the historic Rotonda della Besana and dedicated to USIC – Unione Sindacale Italiana Carabinieri.

She was joined by Dr. h.c. Milena Renzi, writer, journalist and international cultural communicator, and architect and poet Rodolfo Vettorello, a candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2020.

The evening brought together art, design, literature and music, with performances by countertenor Angelo Bonazzoli, accompanied on piano by Mateus Gardellini.

That Milan experience has become another stage in a cultural path that is now continuing in the prestigious setting of Brera.

Calì Velela and Dr. h.c. Milena Renzi are currently developing the cultural and educational project La violenza che non lascia lividi (The Violence That Leaves No Bruises), created to address psychological violence without sensationalising it or reducing violence solely to physical aggression.

The project explores the “sloping path” through which trust can become imbalance, manipulation can lead to isolation, and fear can result in the loss of self-determination — before moving towards recognition, the recovery of one’s voice and, ultimately, reconstruction.

Velela’s books thus become part of a broader cultural project in which literature and psychological knowledge can serve as tools for awareness and prevention.

Now, a new chapter is taking her writing beyond national borders.

Calì Velela is among the poetic voices selected for IMMERSIVE VOICES – Poems of Sensitivity and Sublimity, a new international anthology promoted by the International Academy of Ethics – IAE, an India-based institution fostering dialogue between ethics, education, literature and the arts.

The International Academy of Ethics is led by Dr. Jernail Singh Anand, Founder President, an internationally recognised Indian poet, philosopher and author, together with Dr. Maja Herman Sekulic, Vice President, poet and scholar of international standing.

Its international cultural network also includes Greek poet and author Eva Lianou Petropoulou, World Ambassador of the International Academy of Ethics, India, whose commitment to international literature has helped create meaningful connections between writers, poets and cultural figures from different nations.

A special and heartfelt acknowledgment goes to Eva Lianou Petropoulou for the passion, generosity and tireless cultural work through which she continues to build bridges between people, countries and traditions. Her ability to bring together voices from different parts of the world has made possible encounters that go far beyond geographical borders, creating genuine spaces for dialogue, friendship and cultural exchange.

Through her work for the International Academy of Ethics and her wider commitment to international literature, Eva has become a vital link between different cultures. Calì Velela and Dr. h.c. Milena Renzi wish to express their deepest gratitude to her for believing in the value of these connections and for helping Italian voices enter an increasingly broad international conversation.

IMMERSIVE VOICES is edited by Dr. h.c. Milena Renzi, writer, journalist and international cultural communicator, with Dr. Jernail Singh Anand serving as Chief Editor.

The anthology brings together poets from different countries and cultures, united by a form of poetry that speaks to sensitivity, the human condition, shared values and the challenges of contemporary life.

For Calì Velela, participation in the anthology also marks a new stage in her own journey: from narrative prose to poetry, from Italy to India, and from individual experience to international literary dialogue.

Her voice thus enters a cultural community that sees literature as a means of crossing geographical, linguistic and social boundaries.

Awards, books, cultural encounters and new international collaborations tell only part of Calì Velela’s story.

The thread running through all her work remains something deeper: giving a voice to what often remains unseen.

Recognising manipulation before it becomes a prison. Giving a name to one’s own experience. Transforming silence into awareness. And remembering that, even after losing oneself, a path back to one’s identity can still exist.

From La Rishika to Ho ballato con il diavolo, from Milan to India through IMMERSIVE VOICES, Calì Velela is now taking her writing into an international dimension, making literature not only a means of telling the story of a wound, but also a tangible possibility for rebirth.

An Italian voice that has chosen to look where others often do not — and that is now ready to be heard beyond every border.

Orbit

The stars in their orbits

are lit by the imposed beacons.

Only you have continuously moved yourself

from the orbit—

In a circle of a thousand great ages;

The boundary of the path

is an endless pitch darkness.

Your accumulated brain is drained in the illusion of illusion;

The sensors of the brain are useless—lifeless robotic characters,

Invisible manholes at the bends of each galaxy,

A trap is waiting—a giant wave of scratching.

Innumerable drones circle your circle,

Keeping constant watch;

Monitoring your movements and course.

Where you have built a mansion of tranquility,

By pressing the button on the remote, you will absorb the pieces of the iceberg;

The desired ice water will melt in your brain server.

Look—

Every one of your limbs is trembling,

Shaking in fear of missiles.

Hydrogen and helium are full

The time for your existence to be destroyed is approaching

However, you are enjoying the mouth of death due to your carelessness.

The life takers are aiming at the sniper’s barrel.

Measuring the algorithm of time, the high vision of the hawk

Continuously approaching—intoxicated with prey.

Mohammad Qutubuddin.

24.08.2026 

Mohammad Kutubuddin is CEO of Skymode International. He’s also a poet, editor, and writer. He’s the Chief Advisor at Novo Joti News and Founder of the National Writers Council. Also, he’s a Central Member of the Nationalist Writers’ Forum. 

MY TABRIZ

You are an old city, the very history itself

You have greatness, great Tabrizim

In your blood is a volcano, the eye of Sahan

Your white forehead is full of stars, Tabrizim

The shore of love, the sea of ​​love

Wings of desires, the dream of souls

What is the world of Turks without you?

You are the arm that lifts you up, Tabrizim

Sattarkhan is strong, Shahriyar is eloquent

You are a garden of gardens, with mirrored eyes

Your name is the essence of an unquenchable hearth

You paved the path with silk, Tabrizim

You are an impregnable fortress, an invincible army

Saz is the anchor of words, the land of delicacy

You have the immortal gray wolf of the Turks

Your left, which is visible from your right, Tabrizim

Your deer-filled trench, your Erkin, your Erkan

Your blood is red, silver, and red

Your son Ismail, the Crowned Turk

Tabriz, the lake of the kings, is a place to visit

You are the eager soul of Azerbaijan

You are the warmth of your unquenchable soul

Your excitement is tied to your hand

I am Elman, the flower of my poetry, is my Tabriz.

Oruj Dadashi Elman was born in 1978 in Iranian Azerbaijan. He is a poet, lives in Tabriz city. His poems are published in Tabriz, Urmuy, Tehran magazines and newspapers, and in Azerbaijan in “HAKARI”, “SÖZÜN IŞIĞI” and “BÜTÖV AZERBAYCAN” newspapers. His poems are also published in “AY IZİ”, “HİCA TAŞLARI” and “GERGEF” magazines in Turkey. His poems are also published in AQSU newspaper of Khurmatuz city of Kirkuk region in Iraq. A one-volume book titled “MÖVLA MAHABBATİ” ​​was published in 2023.

Why Do We Compare Ourselves to Others?

Why do we constantly compare ourselves to other people? Why does someone else’s achievement sometimes make our own accomplishments suddenly seem insignificant?

Why do we look at another person’s life and feel as though something is missing from ours? Perhaps the most interesting part is that, in many cases, no one actually asks us to compete. Yet we still find ourselves feeling as though we are falling behind.
As human beings, we naturally look to those around us as we try to understand ourselves. We may evaluate our abilities, opinions, and possibilities by observing the experiences of others.

Psychologist Leon Festinger introduced Social Comparison Theory in 1954, suggesting that people have a tendency to evaluate themselves through comparison with others. Therefore, comparing ourselves with other people is not simply a habit created by modern society; it is also connected to a natural part of how people
evaluate themselves.

However, the way we compare ourselves matters. Sometimes we look at people whom we consider more successful and measure ourselves against them. Such comparisons can inspire us to grow, but they can also make us feel inadequate. The problem begins
when another person’s achievement becomes the standard by which we determine our own worth.

These patterns can sometimes begin in childhood. Statements such as “Look at how well they are doing” or “Why can’t you be like them?” may teach a child, consciously or unconsciously, to evaluate personal worth through comparison. Over time, external
comparisons can become an internal habit. Instead of asking, “What do I want?” we may begin asking, “Where are others, and where am I?”

In today’s world, social media can make this process even more complicated. We often see carefully selected moments of other people’s lives: achievements, celebrations, travels, awards, and other positive experiences. What we usually do not see are their
failures, doubts, disappointments, or difficult moments. As a result, we may end up comparing our entire lives with the most positive moments that someone else chooses to show.

Research suggests that the effects of social comparison on social media are not simple or identical for everyone. Some studies have associated upward social comparison—the tendency to compare oneself with people perceived as more successful—with negative
self-evaluation and lower well-being. At the same time, research also indicates that the effects can vary depending on the individual, the situation, and the way social media is used.

This means that comparison itself is not necessarily harmful. Another person’s success can inspire us and encourage us to set new goals. The important question is what we do with that comparison. If someone’s achievement makes us think, “I can work toward
something similar,” comparison can become a source of motivation. If it makes us think, “I will never be good enough,” it can become unfair judgment against ourselves.

For this reason, perhaps our goal should not be to eliminate comparison completely, but to learn how to manage it. Instead of asking, “Why am I not like them?” we can ask, “What kind of person do I want to become?” Instead of thinking, “Why are they ahead of me?” we can ask, “What have I done today to move closer to my own goals?”

One of the healthiest ways to measure progress is to compare ourselves with who we were yesterday. If we know something today that we did not know yesterday, accomplish something we once struggled with, or take a step we were previously afraid
to take, that is also progress. Growth does not always come in dramatic or visible forms.

Life is not a race. Every person has a different starting point, different opportunities, different experiences, and a different path. Someone reaching a particular goal before us does not mean that their life is better than ours. Likewise, reaching our goals later does not mean that we have failed. So, the next time you look at someone else’s life and feel that you are behind, pause for a moment. You do not know their entire story, just as they do not know yours.

Do not measure yourself against someone else’s today. Measure yourself against your own yesterday. Because real growth is not about getting ahead of everyone else. It is about moving forward, even if only one step, on your own path.

Perhaps the greatest achievement is not becoming like someone else, but growing without losing yourself.

References

1. Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations, 7(2), 117–140.
   DOI: 10.1177/001872675400700202.
2. Meier, A., & Johnson, B. K. (2022). Social comparison and envy on social media: A critical review.
   Current Opinion in Psychology, 45, 101302.
3. Valkenburg, P. M. (2022). Social media use and well-being: What we know and what we need to know. Current Opinion in Psychology, 45, 101294.
4. McCarthy, P. A., & Morina, N. (2020). Exploring the association of social comparison with depression and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 27(5), 640–671

Where Light Begins

To love is to step softly

into the hidden world of another,

without pretending to know their pain.

It is to hold our words

like water in our hands,

knowing that a single word

can become a caress or a wound.

It is choosing not to judge

what we have never experienced,

and listening to what silence

lacks the courage to say.

Every face carries a night

that other eyes cannot see;

therefore, kindness

is a quiet form of courage.

Leave no scars where you pass,

but leave a little light.

Perhaps this is what love means:

to pass through another’s life

with hands gentle enough

to break nothing.