In his crisp and taut collection April No Longer Comes, poet Yucheng Tao evokes fragile, transitory moments of elegance that seem to fade away even as the speakers appreciate them.
A speaker recollects a museum visit with his now-deceased sister to see a Rothko exhibit. He later imagines a blue horse carrying her from her casket “to a spring which never ends.” Spring, and specifically the month of April, show up later in the collection in some very short pieces on butterfly wings and in “Fever,” a longer piece on a speaker’s recovery from illness. The winter imagery of snow and mist in many other pieces (“Snow,” “We,” “The Glory of the Snow”) becomes a counterpoint, burying or shrouding beauty in a way that is itself graceful.
Tension and a subtle melancholy permeate many of Tao’s works, even those otherwise vibrant and full of life. In the first poem, “The Fading Light of Dead April,” about a couple enjoying a pizza dinner at a restaurant, Tao shows us the delicate bubbles in clear soda, yet ends lines with “bitterness” and “cutting off the clarity,” leaving readers with confusion and angst. In “The Glory of the Snow,” the speaker watches a beautiful woman dance, with picturesque imagery of her red lips against the white mounds of flakes, but then, ‘a clumsy dancer,’ she falls to the ground.
Death makes an appearance throughout the collection, directly in “Mr. Raven” and elsewhere as an aspect of our existence. In “Arrival Before the Rose Dream Ends,” a man eats out with his girlfriend in Portland, Oregon, the city of roses and the shadow of Mount St. Helens’ past eruption, and dreams of the volcano when he passes away in his sleep. In “Mr. Raven,” the speaker’s ticket to the afterlife “is written in the age spots on his hands.” Even an inanimate scarecrow (“The Scarecrow”) becomes less alive as bored teenagers and the weather wear down its body.
Coupled with the many natural images in the collection, mortality here seems as natural as the change of the seasons, whether characters choose to drift away peacefully or beg for more time. As Tao says in “We,” “Things shift, change, and transform: birth, death, and beyond.”
Our hopes, dreams, and identities here can be as fragile as our physical bodies. In “Where,” a speaker searches a rose garden looking in vain for a particular flower, comparing himself to Adam and Eve cast out of Eden when the blossom remains out of sight. The protagonist in “Untitled” puts on the face of a clown to cover his emptiness after his reflection, his identity, falls all around him with the shards of a broken mirror. The very last piece in the collection, “Mary’s Secret,” shares the story of a little girl rescued by loving people from an abusive situation, who attempted to bring spring into her heart.
The short lines and reserved, non-grandiose language of the poems in “April No Longer Comes” ground the sentiments in reality and make the motifs of the book more universal. Many readers can relate to “lost Aprils,” times beautiful yet delicate, now fading into memory.
Yucheng Tao’s April No Longer Comes is out now from Alien Buddha Press and available here.
PROBLEMS ARISING IN THE PROCESS OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND STRATEGIES FOR THEIR SOLUTION Olimova Muslima Odiljon qizi Andijan State Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Intelligent Control and Computer Systems, Student of the Information Systems and Technologies Department
Abstract: This scientific thesis explores strategies for addressing problems in the process of digital transformation. Keywords: Global economy, transformation, ecosystems, internet, platforms.
Digital transformation is a key theme in the global economy, yet what it truly means for established companies continues to puzzle both academics and practitioners. Here, we identify three main tensions at the core of digital transformation—products, platforms, firms, ecosystems, people, tools—and describe their underlying economics, driving forces, and counterforces. These tensions help frame the strategic alternatives for global companies. Overall, we argue that digital transformation is not an objective state but a strategic choice among various options made by leaders.
Digital transformation has become a vital topic of global strategy as born-digital firms like Google, Booking.com, Alibaba, and Amazon—as well as billion-dollar startups like Uber, Pinduoduo, Airbnb, and TikTok—have dominated collective imagination. Many of these digital reinventions of traditional industries, which often resist global boundaries, have led to the widespread belief that “digital transformation changes everything.” Officials are warned: “Disrupt or be disrupted.” This has led some to believe that digital transformation is establishing an entirely new world order. More data, connectivity, and digital intelligence are expected to eliminate global boundaries and reinforce new industrial frameworks.
However, a closer look at established firms undergoing digital transformation reveals a more complex story. For instance, Danish shipping company Maersk uses blockchain not to reinvent itself, but to perform its existing job—delivering goods more efficiently worldwide. Dutch beverage company Heineken uses digital transformation to better interact with customers, create products, and compete, yet still brews beer and delivers it by truck (Furr, Garlandt, and Shipilov, 2021). Even in digitally dominant industries such as media and travel, traditional firms continue to coexist—and even thrive—alongside digital disruptors: for example, The New York Times and Huffington Post continue to coexist.
Today’s rapid technological advancement is revolutionizing the work environment across all sectors. Even traditional organizations are experimenting with cloud analytics, human digital connectivity, sensor technology, and smart devices. This digital transformation compels companies to rethink not only their technology use but also their core models for creating and capturing value.
Shifting to digital, platform-based business models is often not easy, as it introduces a host of challenges that may be entirely new to many corporations. This research aims to understand the digital transformation process in traditional industry settings through a single qualitative case study. It focuses particularly on the challenges an organization might face during digital transformation and the digital strategies that can be employed to advance and benefit from it.
This study offers two theoretical contributions:
A new foundation for understanding the problems of digital transformation
A detailed description of the digital transformation process and the different management tools applied at various stages of the transformation
These contributions are also practically significant, as they can be used to assess and plan digital transformation processes. The empirical findings of this study suggest that current digital strategy literature may focus excessively on individual transformative digital initiatives, often overlooking the importance of digitizing traditional business processes to build a solid foundation for digital innovation.
Furthermore, existing literature places heavy emphasis on internal change problems, whereas in real-world cases, the most significant and challenging issues lie within the organization’s rigid institutional environment.
References:
Farkhod Mulaydinov. Digital Economy Is A Guarantee Of Government And Society Development. Ilkogretim Online, 2021; 20(3): 144–1479.
Yuldashev U.A. Use of Video Lesson Creative Technologies in the Process of Electronic Education. Scientific-Methodical Journal – T 2021.
Abdullayev M., Saidahror G., & Ayupov R. (2020). Digital Economy – A Pressing Direction in Personnel Training. Archive of Scientific Research, 1(23).
Born on August 7, 2007, she is a student at Andijan State Institute of Engineering in the Faculty of “Intelligent Control and Computer Systems,” majoring in Information Systems and Technologies. Despite her young age, she is a talented programmer, writer, and youth leader who has achieved numerous accomplishments.
She is the founder of Muslima Academy, through which she leads thousands of young people toward knowledge, technology, and global opportunities. As the Uzbekistan ambassador of the Wakelet community, she actively contributes to the development of international scientific cooperation.
As a result of her academic research, she is the author of numerous articles, theses, and books. Her works are currently sold in over 30 countries, and she has signed international contracts with several foreign publishing houses. She has made a significant impact on the development of more than 1,000 young people.
Student of Group 1-24, History Major, Faculty of Social Sciences, Shahrisabz State Pedagogical Institute
Eshmamatova Oysanam Ulmasovna
Abstract
This article analyzes Amir Timur’s place in world history, focusing on the reforms he implemented in public administration, domestic policy, and foreign policy, all of which contributed to consolidating his power. In advanced Western European countries such as Germany, France, and England, scholars and statesmen held Amir Timur in high esteem. Scientific and artistic works were dedicated to him, he was revered, his name was included in educational curricula, and museums were established.
Keywords: Islamic power, law and order, justice, Timur’s decrees, great statesman, Timurid state
Introduction: Amir Timur (1336–1405) implemented significant reforms in public administration, establishing a strong, centralized state system. His governance policies were founded on order, discipline, justice, and military strength. Based on the demands and necessities of his time, Sohibkiran Amir Timur refined public administration, imbuing it with a new spirit and substance. Although the state structure was rooted in military and political principles, it aimed to protect the interests of all social strata to foster societal development. Under Amir Timur, public administration comprised two institutions: the court and the ministry (divan). The Supreme Ruler personally managed the court. The devonbegi (prime minister) led the executive power. The divan included the Minister of War, the Minister of Property and Taxation, and the Minister of Finance. The statehood and spirituality of the era of Amir Timur and the Timurids hold a special place in our people’s history due to their power, substance, educational value, and influence.[2] In world history, Amir Timur is recognized not only as a great commander and statesman who established a powerful and prosperous state. Sohibkiron was an outstanding diplomat of his time, advocating for the establishment of amicable relations between states and the development of economic ties. He was a great patron of scholars and rulers, architects and poets, earning widespread renown.[1]
From this perspective, the historical and legal study of Timur’s statutes is of particular relevance. After all, our past heritage, its rich statehood and legal foundations, in particular, the just principles applied in the state and law during the reign of Amir Timur, serve our independence today and contribute to the formation of a high political, moral and legal culture of the individual. The main historical sources covering the life and activities of Amir Timur are extremely numerous and diverse, which indicates that his name, role in world history are incomparable and his great popularity. [3]
Literature review and methodology: Abdulakhad Literature Analysis Mukhammadjanov’s treatise “Amir Timur” published in 2011 provides information about Sahibkiran’s appearance on the state stage, his military campaigns, relations with neighboring countries, and the reforms he carried out. In the 1320s, the Mongol rulers began to dominate Central Asia, and as a result, the foundations of our science and culture, which had been restored by the intelligence of Abu Nasr al-Farabi, Musa al-Khwarizmi, Abu Ali ibn Sina, Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, Ahmad Yugnaki, and Mahmud Kashgari, began to crumble, and the dominant ideology, Islam, also lost much of its status. Because Chigatai Khan, who had taken over Transoxiana as his ulus, was a fierce enemy of Islam. The people of Transoxiana, who were left in the clutches of the enemy, were determined to fight for freedom and sought a spiritual foundation that would transform the idea of independence they had cherished in their hearts into a powerful force and movement. [4]Discussion and conclusions: Amir Temur was a great commander and statesman who introduced unique and strong principles in the field of state administration. His system of government was built on the basis of a strong centralized state, developed on the basis of strict discipline, justice, and military order. Discussion (Main features of Amir Temur’s rule. “Tuzuklar” system Amir Temur described his system of government in his work “Temur’s Tuzuklar”. It set out the rules for state management, military policy, and social order. [3] Centralized state He ruled the state with a strong central authority and established strong discipline. Justice and order He introduced a method of governance based on the principle of “Strength is in justice”.
Administrative and territorial administration – He divided the country into provinces and appointed loyal noyons and officials to each province. Results (Effects of Amir Temur’s rule) A powerful empire was established Amir Temur took control of vast territories from Central Asia to India in a short time. Order and discipline were ensured Internal conflicts were eliminated and governance based on laws was established. Amir Temur’s style of governance was a study not only in his time, but also for statesmen and military strategists in subsequent centuries and remains an experiment worth analyzing. [4]
Summary: The style of government of Amir Temur was built on the basis of a centralized monarchy, based on the principles of strict discipline and justice. He followed the laws and regulations called “Temur’s Regulations” in state administration. Meritocracy, military discipline, and a strong central government played an important role in governance. Amir Temur strengthened his kingdom through military campaigns and political diplomacy, and also paid attention to the development of science and culture. As a result of his rule, a great empire was formed and strong economic, political, and cultural development occurred. The prosperity of the state created the basis for the rise of science, art, and architecture. Samarkand became the cultural and scientific center of the world. After Amir Temur, his descendants ruled the state, but due to internal conflicts and external invasions, the power of the Temurid state weakened and was finally abolished by the Shaybanids in 1507. Thus, the state of Amir Temur was a powerful empire in its time, and its political and cultural heritage has been preserved to this day.
Sources:
1.Abdulahad Muhammadjanov “Amir Temur ” risolasi 2011-yil
2.Muhammad Ali va Toʻlqin hayit “Amir Temur va Temuriylar saltanati”
3.Kapyunning “Temur saltanati boʻylab”
4.E.Bloshening “Temur qabrtoshidagi bitiklar”
5.Kruasiyning “Temuriylar davrida Samarqand yodgorliklari”
The glass leaves a wet ring, the table stains darker, holds it.
Grass burns under soles, the porch boards remember the
shade.
Laughter spits from the shallow end, somewhere, a rope groans
alone.
Smoke from the grill sticks to shirts, ice from the cooler bites through knuckles.
Boards creak after the bodies leave, the hammock still rocks without weight.
Some things burn loud enough to echo, some cool slow enough to forget.
And still, both leave marks.
Across the dark canvas
The cracked lens seizes the sun,
Shards of light slices through the
dust–
Stretches long on the rippling dune,
Feet sink in the dry grit,
A crease in fabric flutters against the heat,
Figures stand on the
edge–
Softened by a
gust–
Scatters the
pebbles–
Spiraling towards the shadow of our feet,
The sun lowers behind the barren,
Orange light glows..
Shadows sink beneath the ground,
The night falls cool and heavy,
A brute curled tight,
Patterns darken on skin,
Lines winding like rivers,
Drying in the fading light,
Faint sparks of cold fire
scattered–
Across the dark canvas,
Blending into the night
This Old House
Worn smooth beneath every step, splintered in places where shoes have slid. It absorbs spilled sauces and dropped rice grains, the heavy shuffle of customers coming and going. It holds echoes of whispered deals and laughter, silent but alive beneath each scuff.
Frame bent from years of use, legs uneven, scraping the floor. Its seat sags just enough to feel familiar, cracked leather peeling like old skin. It’s been leaned on, kicked, ignored, but it stays, stubborn as the walls.
Hanging over the kitchen entrance, threadbare and soaked with steam and grease. Its edges fray like forgotten memories, blocking the world beyond with a soft, heavy hush. It moves only when the cooks pass through, bearing the smell of garlic and smoke.
JK Kim is an ambitious student at Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg, VA. His interests lie in creative writing, particularly in short stories and poetry. During his free time, he enjoys playing golf and pursuing photography as a means of expression and inspiration.
has stains all over it which looks like a piece of art
and has crumbs of food between its cracks
The crumbs, which are made of food and dust
abandoned for years and years to come
await eternal custody between the cracks
The cracks, created from constant use of the floor
continues to expand further and bigger
eventually taking over sections of the floor.
The stains, which were results of liquid spills
is left on the floorboard as a remembrance of them
And would never be erased or forgotten
The Punishment of Filth
Step down or you will stay
where the crayfish sleep
Possibly eating the crayfish too
Where all the lost and defeated go
For the rest of their lives
With their cheeks open for eternity
How the fish would poke
And feed on your excrements
How tingly and provocative it feels
But apart from it
There is nothing one can do
To stop this from happening
The tedious process
certainly bores one to the death
And makes one regret
what sins he committed
All that awaits one is the infinite punishment
Here I Sit
The exhausted man,
with his eyes barely wide
trudging slowly toward the can
after getting a drink goes to the side
The happy child
And his ice cream on a cone
became satisfied and smiled
With his teeth whiter than a bone
The giant statue
With its condition at the purest
Its glory matches to
a rhythm of a beautiful courant
The miserable lady
With her makeup wet in the rain
Wanting to cry like a baby
And her whole mind in vain
The old man
sitting on the bench
watching his old hometown
reminisces his town’s past
The woman with a red dress
Sitting on a wooden bench
Drinking a cup of hot coffee
looks at her phone
Ethan Lee is a student who loves expressing himself through creative writing. He enjoys writing stories, poems, and reflections inspired by the everyday world. When he’s not writing, Ethan can be found reading, sketching, or exploring new ideas. He believes in the power of words to inspire creativity and connection.
I graduated from school with excellent grades. Currently, I am a 3rd year student at Termez University of Economics and Service. I have more than 10 articles. I am the owner of the “Rector’s Scholarship” for the 2024-2025 academic year. I have participated in various competitions. In January, I actively participated in Shokhida Yusupova’s “Shine with Shokhida” 5-day marathon and was awarded a certificate. In June, I went on a trip to Indonesia with our University. On July 27, I was awarded a certificate for my successful participation in the master class on the topic “Empower, Educate, Elevate!” organized on the occasion of the 3rd anniversary of the Shine Girls’ Academy.
“My philosophy of life or what speech do you see yourself giving in 10 years?”
Abstract: Dreams, my schedule, my expenses, my family, me in 10 years.
People have endless dreams and aspirations, and people live striving for their dreams. Just like everyone has their own dreams, one of my dreams is to travel to many countries, walk along the seashore, create my own small library, become an accomplished expert in my profession, have my own home and car, have my favorite wardrobe and be with my loved ones. Philosophy of life is a philosophical movement that studies and interprets the problems of the meaning, purpose, and value of life. Life is an integral whole that is primarily reality, and then divided into spirituality and materiality, consciousness and being.
Life is the main concept of the Philosophy of Life. The Philosophy of Life seeks to understand the essence of life in itself. It glorifies feelings and instincts, criticizes and denies reason. According to supporters of the Philosophy of Life, the concept of life is complex, multifaceted, and does not have its own clear interpretation. Creativity, especially artistic creativity, is extremely important for the Philosophy of Life, it is even life itself. At this point, the Philosophy of Life approaches non-rational intuitionism, its theory of knowledge. For example, the fact that the dynamics of life, the individual nature of a thing-event cannot be expressed in general concepts, but can be understood directly, through intuition, is characteristic of both trends.
The Philosophy of Life sees a sharp difference in the approach of science and philosophy to the world. Science seeks to master and subjugate the world, while philosophy is characterized by observation, and in this feature it is close to art. Reason is by its nature disconnected from life; intellectual knowledge and the science based on it can comprehend not things, but only the relationships between things. Rational knowledge is aimed at satisfying purely practical interests, at useful expediency. Non-intellectual, intuitive, figurative-symbolic methods of comprehending life are opposed to scientific knowledge. A work of art, especially poetry and music, is a means of understanding and relatively accurately expressing life. Life is interesting, it tests us all with various tests and rewards. The true essence of our life is to do good and strive for enlightenment.
The ideas of humanism have been around for centuries is being promoted, examples of this are countless like raindrops. Recently, I witnessed an incident, a mother who was walking her child on the street nervously looked at a special trans worker on the street and said to her child: “If you don’t get an education and study well, your life will be miserable like that trans worker.” Hearing this, I had to join their conversation, “Excuse me, if your child gets a good education, he will help those in such professions, he will take society out of the stream of poverty, after all, they say that education is a vaccine against ignorance,” I ended my speech by saying. Today we have changed, today our souls have been renewed, and our bodies are free like clouds, but our hearts are still alone in the darkness of darkness.
Most parents themselves do not instill universal human values in their children from childhood, and in the genetics of the future, the level of contempt for lower-class people, materialism, and an empathetic approach will continue to expand in regressive generations. Education is a gem that is instilled not by control, but by example. Many people ask me, “What is your biggest dream?” Do you have any dreams or goals? Yes, they do. Some want to live in high-rise buildings and buy expensive cars, some strive for career advancement, and still others are in the process of renewing their tattered clothes, getting rid of the scourge of helplessness, and finding food for today. Today, we are becoming creatures of the world of egoism. The phrase “I” is scattered like small fish swimming in the ocean. Don’t rush, I know the thought that came to your mind while reading me, this life is given only once, people should live only for themselves, life is a place of pleasure, not a time to think about others.
A person will never stop dreaming as long as they live. For this, you need to work and ask God and have a little patience. Nowadays, many people do not know how to be grateful. They always complain, “I can’t do it, I don’t have money, and so on.” What does a person look like if he doesn’t work or try? I always like to be in motion and work on myself. I’m already moving for my future. If I don’t work now, it may be too late. This has been discussed in many books. Nowadays, I write down my daily schedule for myself. I hate waking up at different times every day. This is one of my principles. I always wake up at 6 o’clock. Then I spend 30 minutes on some work. After having a family breakfast, I go to my preparatory courses. After my preparatory course, I come home, have lunch, and then head to the university. My classes start at 1:00 PM, and
It ends at 17:30. After class, my classmates and I go to a cafe and chat a little before heading home. When I get home, I start cooking dinner and prepare for my university and course lessons. After that, we have a family dinner, we chat a little and have dessert. I think this is a great feeling for me. My expenses, my current source of income is my parents, and I get money from them for all my expenses. My expenses are not very high.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that in 2025, I achieved a lot. In April 2025, I became the owner of the “Rector’s Scholarship”. This was great news for me. Of course, it was not easy to achieve this, but I did it. After that, I was awarded a certificate for my successful participation in the “Shine with Shokhida” 100-day project of Shokhida Yusupova, a famous woman and girl. This was another dream of mine. I also write articles and currently have more than 10 articles. A person should never stop. My motto in life is “Don’t stop”.
To’raqulova Pokiza Sanjarovna was born in 2006 in the city of Termez, Surkhandarya region.
The plot for a potential story can sweep into my consciousness without me intentionally trying to manufacture one. For example, my latest protagonist, Laura Styversant, appeared in a vivid dream I had one night. I awoke, grabbed pen and paper, and started to outline the story based on my dream.
The protagonist I started to sculpt in my head, was a sassy, salty, routinely cynical 51-year-old San Francisco Bay area female private investigator (P.I.) who had everything go wrong in the last year, including a bad car accident which resulted in a broken arm, a fractured ankle, and two cracked ribs. After a slow four-month recovery period she gets back into the P.I. game with a ritzy senior corporate executive male client, Daniel Sarnoff. It’s a challenging case for Laura. Her mission is to locate the man’s ex-wife, who suddenly disappeared, and find out what she did with the stacks and stacks of money, a huge nest egg they hid together inside the master bedroom wall of their Long Island house.
Although Laura, my character, is physically back on her feet from injuries, there are complications in this new case, and her anxiety is off the charts. The client, Daniel Sarnoff, has gone missing. He doesn’t answer her calls. He’s not at home where he’s lived for twenty years. His mail is piling up. And he’s nowhere to be found. Laura thinks that he’s likely intentionally ghosting her. Or is it something else? He’s already paid her a hefty “up front” fee up but Laura despises unfinished business and so, she becomes obsessed with finding him.
Remember, this all came from a dream I had; one of my treasure chests for surfacing potential plot concepts when I want to start a new project.
In the midst of designing the skeleton of this new story, possibly a novel, I decide to attend a webinar focused on Crafting More Compelling Characters.
The webinar’s presenter opens with posing this question:
“Do you interview your characters?”
She goes on to say, “As a writer, you want to find out everything about your lead character; likes, dislikes, fantasies, fears, joys and more, more, more! The only way to do that is to ASK THE DIRECT QUESTIONS. Just pretend you’re interviewing them across the table. And, go deep.”
My mind swirls as I listen to this wisdom. When I exit the webinar, I immediately list specific interview questions to ask Laura Styversant, the protagonist that I’m creating. I come up with ten questions:
Laura, what motivated you to become a private investigator?
Do you wish you’d chosen a different line of work? As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
You seem cynical about life and a bit sassy, maybe edgy. What happened in your life to shape you this way?
Who is the one famous person you’d like to have dinner with? Anyone – alive or dead? Why does that person appeal to you?
What creeps you out, scares you, makes you nervous?
What would an ideal day for you look like? An ideal location for you anywhere in the world?
What family member do you most admire? Connect with? What is it about them?
What one thing or accomplishment would you like to leave as your legacy?
What secrets do you carry from childhood? high school? Your twenties? Something you don’t want anybody to know.
When did you have your first kiss? What was the experience like?
This list was easy to create because I was totally curious as to how Laura would respond.
These questions helped me get “inside” Laura’s head, and that is exactly where I wanted to be.
Visit Linda S. Gunther’s website to read 52 weeks of her WRITE-BYTES BLOG which features Tips for Writers of All Levels and Genres.
Linda S. Gunther is the author of six published suspense novels: Ten Steps from the Hotel Inglaterra, Endangered Witness, Lost in the Wake, Finding Sandy Stonemeyer, Dream Beach, and Death is a Great Disguiser. Her memoir titled A Bronx Girl (growing up in the Bronx in the 1970’s) was released in 2024. Her short stories and book reviews have been published in a variety of literary journals across the world. Linda’s short plays, Listen While You Work, Divided We Stand, and Waiting for Magic are being produced and performed in 2025 at theaters located in New York, Napa Valley, CA and in the Monterey Bay area in Northern California.
