Our Jadid Grandpares!
Called for enlightenment,
Shone like the sun.
He thought of the people,
Our Jadid Grandpares!
How to get to Olay,
All are the popular hand.
The words are close to the nearest,
Our Jadid Grandpares!
Fitratu, Avloni
Cholponu, Kadyrids
Aqilu wise bii
Our Jadid Grandpares!
They are an ointment,
It is as if the heart is treated.
Stored in our hearts,
Our Jadid Grandpares!
Fergana region
Margilan
Erkin Vahidov Shite of Creativity
8th D class
Farzona Hoshimova
POETRY WIND IN ADANA – AZERBAIJAN POET
TARANE TURAN RAHIMLI PARTICIPATED IN THE INTERNATIONAL CUKUROVA POETRY DAYS.
On the date when poetry day is celebrated all over the world, the Turkic world experienced a double holiday joy and celebrated Nawruz holiday and World Poetry Day together. On this significant date, the winds of poetry blew in Adana, which is considered the ancient Turkish land and the oldest literary monument of the Turkic peoples, and is mentioned in the epic “Bilgamys”. The fact that world poets came together in Adana to celebrate the poetry holiday once again declared the victory of culture over all values.
Azerbaijani poet, literary critic, doctor of philology, associate professor Tarana Turan Rahimli participated in the 1st International Cukurova Poetry Days event dedicated to World Poetry Day held at Cukurova University in Adana, Turkey on March 20-21.
Speaking at the opening of the event, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Literature Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bilge Kargagöllü emphasized that poetry is a force that unites cultures. He noted that the World Poetry Days, the first of which was held at Cukurova University, bring together hearts full of poetry and will have a serious impact on national literature, university life, and the spiritual education of students. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bilge Karga Gollu congratulated the poets, literary critics, scholars, and poetry lovers participating in the event on the occasion of World Poetry Day.
At the “International Cukurova Poetry Days” event organized for the first time this year in cooperation with Adana Metropolitan Municipality, Cukurova University and Altın Koza, poet Shirin Zaferyıldızı Zaimagaoglu, Head of the Culture Department of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, made a speech and drew attention to the fact that poetry is a force that “improves and unites hearts”. She addressed the hall with the slogan “In these days when our hope of creating a world like poetry is decreasing, be like poetry, raise your children with poetry, do not be left without poetry” and read her poems.
Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Prof. Dr. Faruk Karadag, despite being a physicist by profession, aroused special sympathy among the participants of the event with his love for poetry, sensitivity to the art of words, as well as his excellent speech as a man of letters. The Dean of the Faculty noted that such literary events will leave a deep mark in the memory of young students and will contribute to the scientific and literary cultural life of the university.
The first event of the 1st International Cukurova Poetry Days, which began on Thursday, March 20 at the Cukurova University Congress Center, featured scientific lectures dedicated to Ashıg Veysel, musical works, and folk art exhibits. Stands featuring the works of poets invited to the event from various countries were also set up, and they signed their books for readers at their stands.
The first day of the 1st International Cukurova Poetry Days was entirely dedicated to folk poetry. On the second day, traditional and modern poetry was demonstrated at the Mithat Ozsan Amphitheater of Cukurova University on March 21, World Poetry Day. At the 1st International Cukurova Poetry Days event, attended by scholars, poets, and ashiqs from various countries, poet, literary critic, and doctor of philological sciences Tarana Turan Rahimli spoke and read her poems at the poetry days held under the title “Traditional and Modern Poetry” on the occasion of March 21, World Poetry Day. She noted in her speech: “There is a saying that beauty will save the world. In my opinion, the highest beauty is poetry, because it can deeply affect the human heart and soul, touch the most delicate strings of our hearts, and renew consciousness. Therefore, poetry will save the world. Literary friendships will strengthen the friendship of peoples and lead humanity to the path of peace. Poetry has just such a power.”
Tarana Turan Rahimli’s poems, written with the excitement of victory brought by the 44-day Patriotic War, as well as those on the subject of Turkism and Turanism, were met with love and sympathy from the audience. The sad and sorrowful verses of the poem “Today is the tenth day” about the February 6 earthquake, which is considered the tragedy of the century and devastated cities in Turkey, evoked deep emotions as a clear example of the unity of the two peoples in good and bad, and the brotherhood of Azerbaijan and Turkey. Turkish poet and researcher, Prof. Dr. Metin Turan, added a special color to the event with his report on “Anatolian folk poetry today”, literary talks and poems.
Prof. Dr. Salahaddin Bekki, Prof. Dr. Refiye Okushluk Shenesen, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Esra Tarhan, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsmail Shenesen, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayhan Karakash, Dr. Zekiye Chagimlar made interesting scientific presentations at the panel titled “Following the Tradition of Ashıg Poetry”.
Ashıg Madani Karataş and Ozan Dertli Polat’s exchanges were met with loud applause from the audience. Shentürk İyidogan, who brought Ashıg Veysel’s saz to the stage and expressed it with love and artistic responsibility, and gave the sacred trust in his hands with his performance, amazed the participants.
Poet and translator Aytekin Karacachoban attracted the attention of the participants with her deeply philosophically meaningful poems and artistic translations from French. French poets and translators Sylwain Cavailies and Claire Lajus recited their poems in both French and Turkish. Claire Lajus, a teacher at Istanbul University, highlighted her influence on the lives of Turkish youth with her research and pedagogical activities, while Sylwian Cavailies highlighted her contributions to the turbulent life of Turkey with her translations. The clear and clear speech of both French poets in Turkish was met with special appreciation. Well-known poets Nisa Leyla, Demet Duyuler, Taner Cindoruk, Haydar Unal, Bilge Karga, Seval Arslan, Duran Aydın, Bahar Faris, Ayfer Karakaş, İlhan Kemal, M.Demirel Bahacanoglu, Mustafa Ozke, Durmus Ali Ozkale, Neslihan Daglı, Ruhan Mavruk, Hulya Bashak Ekmekçi recited their poems. At the end of the event, plaques and letters of appreciation were presented to the participants.
Within the scope of the event, the participants who toured the Çukurova University campus and were amazed by the mysterious view of the Seyhan water basin also visited the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Prof. Dr. Bedri Aydogan, Prof. Dr. Ayshehan Deniz Abıga, and the University’s Administrative Affairs Director Demet Duyuler hosted the poets in their rooms, which are striking with their rich library and reminiscent of a museum with their ancient national objects. The Poetry Days ended with a closing banquet and a city tour. The 1st International Cukurova Poetry Days, which took place in Adana and successfully completed its work, left a deep mark in the memory of the participants.
A Ballad for Kim Shuck’s Preacher Bird
i can’t get warm
after it rained all night
a bird on a wire
knows well enough
to just fly away
i have no
midnight choir
to offer you
so i’ll rub
my hands together
& build a fire
in your heart.
A Promise of Fog
the wind promises nothing
the past just brings up
more questions.
Reverse Midlife Crisis
settle down
meet a kind
age appropriate woman
get a 9 to 5 gig
the house
the dog
neighbor kids
playing baseball
on their phones
get around
to the laundry
eat solid meals
with total strangers
worried lips
remain shuttered
behind fences
watch hallmark movies
on the tv
live the dream.
John Dorsey is the former Poet Laureate of Belle, MO. He is the author of several collections of poetry, including Which Way to the River: Selected Poems: 2016-2020 (OAC Books, 2020), Sundown at the Redneck Carnival, (Spartan Press, 2022, Pocatello Wildflower, (Crisis Chronicles Press, 2023) and Dead Photographs, (Stubborn Mule Press, 2024). He may be reached at archerevans@yahoo.com.
Bad Neighbor
He’s out with
His London
On a chilly
Monday morning
London needs
To use the bathroom
The two of them
Are right outside the apartment
And then some neighbor
Who is walking his dog
Sees the two of them
And starts marching their way
The man and the dog
Are coming right at them
And this isn’t
The first time
That this guy
Has done this
So he picks London up
And crosses the street
Then he makes
A few comments about
The guy’s intelligence and more
He’s holding London
As he makes his comments
The guy who doesn’t know how
To walk a dog
Is very surprised to receive
This negative feedback
And then some
More words are exchanged
And then the guy
Who doesn’t know how
To walk a dog
Walks away with his dog.
Taylor Dibbert is a poet in Washington, DC. He’s author of, most recently, “Takoma.”
FREEDOM OF THE SOUL
I was a prisoner behind the fence of fear,
Searching for a window in the wall of night,
But the moon was pale,
And the wind tore through the silent branches.
I cried out:
O sky, open your gate to the light!
A star exploded in my chest,
And the birds returned to their nests.
But the chains tightened around the dream,
Draining my cry,
As if the earth refused to listen
To the echo of footsteps fleeing toward the light.
O freedom, are you a mirage
We chase through dark alleys?
Or are you a sun born
When we shatter the shackles buried in our veins?
I will write your name upon the wall of the wind
And let the echo carry
My voice to the coming dawn.
One day,
I will stand atop the sun
And dance with the light,
Free
As the wind was in a pure time!
—
THE AGE of CHAINS DOES NOT LAST
Stretch your hands toward the horizon,
Like the surge of waves rising against the shore.
Do not fear the darkness,
For stars are born from the womb of night.
Tell the wind to carry your song
And scatter it over the balconies,
For when a branch is broken,
It grows from pain flowers that never die.
I am the child of open skies,
I do not belong to fences
Or closed doors.
Freedom is rooted in the soul,
Not in locked squares.
I will walk on water if the earth narrows,
And I will carry in my wound
A flower of dreams.
If you are imprisoned today,
Tomorrow is your meeting with the light.
Give hope its wings,
And walk beneath the rain.
Freedom is not granted—
It is seized from the jaws of time!
—
A DREAM UNCHAINED
Freedom has no door,
Nor does it love walls.
It recoils from iron
And despises the color of chains on the wrist.
It is a wave racing toward the horizon,
Breaking yet returning stronger.
It is a cloud refusing to trap its rain,
A flower blooming in the palm of the wind.
Do not ask where it dwells,
For it lives in the eyes of birds,
In the breath of children’s laughter,
In the voice of a song that knows
No language of submission.
Every wall,
No matter how high,
Will one day be nothing but a fleeting shadow.
And the river, which embraced the soil for too long,
Will return to the sea at dawn.
If you cannot find it around you,
Search within yourself.
Perhaps you are the bird
Who has yet to discover his wings!
Short Biography:
TAGHRID BOU MERHI is a distinguished Lebanese-Brazilian Poet, Author, Essayist, Editor, Translator, and Media Professional known for her profound literary contributions across multiple languages. She currently resides in Brazil, where she has built a remarkable career in poetry, translation, and cultural journalism.
With a Master’s degree in Law, Bou Merhi has established herself as a versatile intellectual figure, seamlessly bridging the worlds of literature and academia. She is fluent in five languages in addition to her native Arabic, which has enabled her to translate and publish an impressive body of work. Her translations include 43 books and over 2000 poems, and her writings have been translated into 47 languages.
Bou Merhi has authored 23 books, both in print and digital formats, covering a range of genres, including poetry, short stories, haikus, critical studies, articles, and children’s literature. Her literary influence extends beyond writing, as she serves as the editor of the translation department for 12 Arabic magazines and a Spanish magazine Azahar Poetic and Reverence Cultural poetry. Additionally, she has written introductions for 40 books and contributed to more than 220 National and international books and anthologies.
Her exceptional contributions to world literature have earned her numerous international accolades. She was named among the top 50 women shaping modern literature in Asia and one of the top 20 media professionals in the region from Legacy Crown. Chinese television CCCV ranked her among the top 10 poets globally for her mastery of language and poetry.
Currently, Bou Merhi serves as the head of the Lebanon branch of the International Chamber of Books and Artists and holds key cultural relations roles in five international and regional organizations. She has also been an international judge for the Walt Whitman competition for three consecutive years.
Taghrid Bou Merhi has received numerous international awards, honors, and certificates for her literary and translation work. Some of the most notable include:
•Naji Naaman Award (2023) – Recognizing her excellence in literature.
•Nizar Sartawi’s Translation Award – For her outstanding contributions to translation.
•First Prize in the Nian Zhang Cup (2023) – A prestigious international poetry award.
•Top 50 Women in Modern Literature (Asia) – Honored for her impact on contemporary literature.
•Top 20 Media Professionals in Asia – Recognized for her influence in cultural journalism.
•Top 10 Poets Worldwide by CCCV (China) – Acknowledged for her mastery of language and poetry.
•Judge for the Walt Whitman International Poetry Competition – Serving for three consecutive years.
Additionally, she has received many certificates of appreciation from international cultural organizations and literary institutions for her contributions to poetry, translation, and cultural exchange.
Old Matmusa
Years later, Matmusa also
He got old like everyone else.
Gather your children for a while,
He also took the donkey.
Telling life one by one,
He remembered his youth.
A hero is a tandoor,
He remembered fondly.
There is beauty in your speech,
Ceramic pot, mill.
Harassment to the police,
There is no doubt about it.
You are a ready-made mold,
Matmusa said that.
You are a true and wise seeker,
Matmusa said that.
Regarding the organization,
It was difficult when I was a teenager.
In the roar of the lion,
He said I have a hand.
So that’s all
Set the event.
Sozlan is much more than that,
It made sense.
The sound of children
They look at each other.
Matmusavayo is waiting and exclaiming,
He combs his hair.
The main character is the end,
The conclusion is gone.
Sozi hit towards youth,
It’s good to remember the past.
My children, my tulips,
Don’t be curious, never.
Because now people
The broken heart is narrow!
Nilufar Anvarova, a student of the 8th grade of the creative school named after Erkin Vahidov, Margylan city
A Story about the “Where Are You From?” Conundrum…
A what appears to be a “black” guy discreetly steps into a room full of “white” people. Well, as “discreet” as a “black” guy can be in a room full of “white” people. Presumably, and rightfully so, the first thing they see is his “blackness”. But wait, there’s more… The next thing they hear is his “accent”. So, the “black” guy knows what comes next. They will try to discover just what kind of “black” he is. He notices a “white” guy coming his way with the usual disarming wide grin he’s come to know so well designed to lower the defenses. The “black” guy got a twisty feeling in his gut. He knows that this is NOT going to go well or maybe it’s brought on by a self-fulfilling prophecy.
“Hi there, I’m Dick!” The “white” guy exclaims with exaggerated gusto.
“Hi! I’m Jean-Pierre,” says the “black” guy. “I used to know a Dick …” The “black” guy says wistfully.
“Oh, is that riiiight?!” The “white” guy trails off, rapidly batting his eyes, as is somewhat caught by surprise. Then quickly proceeds to his original intention of interrogation style questions, which could be interpreted by some as a form of microaggression among non “whites”.
“So….where are you from? The Caribbean? He asks with the widest grin on his “white” face. Notice how he attributes the name Jean-Pierre to the Caribbean when, in reality, it is of Franco-European origin. Had the “black” guy been a “white” guy, he would most likely attribute the name to France.
Jean-Pierre displays an equally disarming wide grin and blurts out what he’d rehearsed in front of the mirror at home many times over.
“Thank you for your curiosity. Naturally, I come from Mr. Semen and Madame Ovary. I was born in South Central Vagina. Any other explanation would be an exercise in fertility…” He accentuated his response with a guffaw, leaving Dick in a germinative stupor…
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.–
