Somebody, light this

joint for me so we can pass

zen in a circle.

a bottle of red wine

in primordial forest:

man’s next telescope

I live, a Buddhist.

Is this why your manger chills,

plastic baby Christ?

Gazing Into the Boundless

A tiny puddle is a mirror!

and the one gently peering in

is the dandelion.

A flower gazes at its own reflection

in the tear-drops of the clouds.

2Like an old man,

the cherry tree is bent with age…

Yet youth blooms in every branch.

The only thing my soul needs

is a walking stick.

A bud is joy,

a flower is flame.

It came into this world

to burn.

The wind ploughs through the flowerbed;

one flower falls beneath another…

A flowerpot under a flowerpot—my perplexity is faster than a racehorse.

If destiny allows,

I would build a minaret—as grand as a pharaoh’s pyramid—out of a single poem.

I would plant flowers

all around it.

Then I would climb it gently

and gaze upon the world and its people.

I would ask applause for my poems

from whoever has read them—if anyone has.

I cherish poetry deeply,

even though it wounds my heart.

Wandering through astonishing flower gardens,

I place poetry

as a crown upon my head.

Let people send me their love

and call me king—I no longer mind.

Silence is comforting;

it buries the cries and sounds

of sorrow.

The morning sun is magnificent:

the flowers can hear

the sound of its light.

These mountains stand proud;

they pay no mind

to those who pass beneath them.

The sky is a vast embrace—wide enough to hold

every glance.

The poet is the guide of my soul;

from the light of faith

my feelings begin to bloom.

(Translated by Azam Abidov)

Nurbek Norchayev is a representative of modern Uzbek poetry and a poet. He was born on April 18, 1993, in Koson district of Kashkadarya region, Republic of Uzbekistan.

Memorial

‎

‎Memory does not do much harm without traces

‎That day, I suddenly found a memory

‎In the longitudinal section of the rib bone

‎I was overwhelmed with love and happiness

‎The tired heart swam in the water of my eyes

‎Promises were scattered from the soul,

‎A supernatural promise

‎The wound wanted to settle

‎But like many, I am nostalgic myself

‎So I postponed the amputation.

‎

‎A memory from the tomb of the river said,

‎’People who have lost their memory are helpless’

‎Even blood stirs up a thousand memories

‎The memories of the world never retire

‎You will return – I know it is pointless

‎Still, it is for a dignified life.

‎

‎One day I went to see the sea

‎There were countless memories on the beach

‎I picked up memories from the pebbles

‎Some memories shouted

‎’Forgive me, forgive me’

‎I couldn’t express my tears for you

‎The ocean’s tears were filled with memories

‎I didn’t pronounce it clearly with my open chest

‎Your name that you gave me

‎The ocean waited for me

‎I waited for your embrace.

‎

‎One day the rain touched my past

‎It wanted to give me freedom

‎It couldn’t erase all the sorrow

‎And couldn’t separate me from the sorrow

‎By the one who taught me to love

‎Only you can give me a river free from sorrow.

‎

‎You know, memories are eternal, heavenly

‎Revived in solitude

‎I will feel pride in your memory

‎As long as I live

‎I too have secret memories

‎There is the sorrow of losing my soul

‎Who will pay the price of losing my soul?

‎

‎Memories mixed with the intoxicating air

‎Who can afford to ignore it?

‎I continuously drink the essence of memories

‎Feelings hanging from a window filled with sadness

‎I remove the window curtain and see the horizon line

‎Where the poetic essence merges with the essence of me.

‎

‎No one questions the wind above my head,

‎The ground beneath my feet,

‎The waves of adolescence,

‎The dreams of youth,

‎The stars falling in the darkness,

‎The stopped watch –

‎How have they kept me?

‎

‎Don’t you ask – at what price is memory sold,

‎at what price is time sold?

‎I haven’t learned to sell memory

‎I haven’t learned to sell time

‎I couldn’t bow my head like a slave for a moment.

‎

‎Now the poetry shops are not crowded

‎Like the forbidden shops are crowded

‎Poetry does not glorify the soul

‎Because you do not recite the exiled poem

‎Open the window of the soul once

‎Purify my tears

‎With breath, purify the soil

‎Purify our surroundings again

‎Let’s drink together morning, afternoon, evening

‎Let’s drink hand in hand the song of time

‎Let’s release the anxious stars

‎Let’s embrace the earth deeply.

‎

The Midnight Bloom

Fernando José Martínez Alderete  México

The garden sleeps in silver frost, Beneath a moon of white, While all the summer leaves are lost To winter’s quiet night.

But see, against the coming cold, A single petal wakes, With stories that are yet untold And paths the spirit takes.

A rose of red in January, Upon the frozen vine, A spark of hope, a sanctuary, Where old and new entwine.

It does not fear the changing year, Or what the winds may bring, It holds the secret, soft and clear: That winter dreams of spring.

So let us bloom like this tonight, Though bitter winds may blow, And find our own internal light Amidst the falling snow.

CLOCK

Fernando José Martínez Alderete, México

The clock is leaning toward the edge of night, A heavy weight of months begins to fade. We stand between the shadow and the light, Beside the ghost of every choice we’ve made. The calendar is thinning, leaf by leaf, Until the final pulse, the final breath, A mixture of our triumph and our grief, Is laid to rest beneath the winter’s wreath.

But look—the dark is not an empty space, It is the soil where tomorrow sleeps. The universe prepares a quiet place For every promise that a spirit keeps. The old year was a teacher, stern and wise, Who taught us how to bend but never break, Who showed us how the sun will always rise, Despite the lonely paths we had to take.

So let the midnight bells begin to chime, To wash the dust from every tired soul. We are the weavers of this fabric, Time, And every broken thread can be made whole. Discard the heavy cloak of ‘what has been,’ The bitter words, the burdens, and the fear. A golden gate is opening within, To welcome in the dawning of the year.

The path ahead is silent, soft, and deep, Unmarked by any footstep but your own. There are a thousand promises to keep, And fields of joy that yet remain unsown. May courage be your compass through the gale, May kindness be the lantern in your hand, For even when the strongest spirits fail, New hope will rise like tides upon the sand.

So here we stand, upon the silver line, With hands outstretched to touch the coming day. The stars above in silent witness shine, As old regrets begin to melt away. Drink deep the air, the morning, and the light, The world is born again, forever new. The sun is climbing high above the night, And all the sky is waiting just for you.

Dr. Fernando Martinez Alderete

Writer, poet, theater actor, radio producer. Born in Leon Guanajuato, Mexico on April 21,1977, President of Mil Mentes Por México in Guanajuato. Dr. HC, global leadership and literature. His poems are published in more than 200 anthologies in fifteen countries around the world and he is the author of ten books, of poetry, short stories and novels.

SALIVARY GLANDS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE

Abstract

Salivary glands are exocrine glands that secrete saliva into the oral cavity. They play an important role in the human body in digestion, moisturizing mucous membranes, protection against microbes, and serving as a source of biomarkers for research purposes. This article discusses the anatomical structure and types of salivary glands, characteristics of their secretions, the mechanism of saliva secretion, their physiological functions, as well as pathological conditions (such as inflammation of the glands, stone formation, Sjögren’s syndrome) and their clinical significance. According to research results, salivary glands perform important roles in protecting mucous membranes interacting with the external environment, initiating digestion, regulating oral microbiota, and providing useful biomarkers for diagnostics. In conclusion, the proper functioning of salivary glands is emphasized as crucial for oral and overall health.

Keywords: salivary glands, secretion, anatomical structure, salivary enzymes, pathology, biomarkers, oral health

Introduction

Saliva is a liquid, primarily water-based secretion produced by the salivary glands in the oral cavity, consisting of up to 99% water, as well as various organic (enzymes, immune components) and inorganic compounds. On average, a human produces 0.5–1.5 liters of saliva per day. Salivary glands perform several essential functions for the oral cavity and the entire body: assisting in chewing and swallowing food, partially breaking down food molecules, maintaining oral microbiota and pH balance, moisturizing and protecting mucous membranes, and serving as bioindicators through secreted saliva. Despite their small size, salivary glands are biologically very important organs in the human body.

Discussion

1. Anatomical and Histological Structure:

Salivary glands are classified into major and minor glands. They include parotid, submandibular, sublingual, and other minor glands.

2. Salivary Secretion and Composition:

Saliva is a complex fluid composed of water, electrolytes, enzymes, and immune components.

3. Physiological Functions:

Saliva initiates digestion, facilitates swallowing, protects oral mucosa, and combats microbial infections.

4. Pathologies:

Diseases affecting salivary glands include sialadenitis, Sjögren’s syndrome, sialolithiasis, tumors, and xerostomia.

5. Regeneration Prospects:

Approaches for restoring gland function are being developed through gene therapy, cell transplantation, and biomarker research.

Results

1. Salivary glands are essential for initiating digestion, protecting mucous membranes, and controlling microbes.

2. Their anatomical and histological structure is adapted to perform various functions.

3. The composition of saliva and its secretion mechanism maintain oral balance.

4. Pathologies disrupt gland functions and negatively affect oral health.

5. Research on regeneration represents a promising direction.

Conclusion

Despite their small size, salivary glands play a vital biological role in the human body. They are crucial not only for initiating digestion but also for protecting mucous membranes and defending against microbes. Additionally, saliva serves as a useful diagnostic biomarker. In the future, research on regeneration and functional restoration of salivary glands is expected to develop further.

References

1. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Salivary Glands — StatPearls, NCBI.

2. Review of the Major and Minor Salivary Glands — PMC.

3. Physiology, Pathology and Regeneration of Salivary Glands — MDPI.

4. Salivary gland function, development, and regeneration — PMC.

5. Salivary glands (Wikipedia, uz).

6. Saliva (Wikipedia, uz).

7. Pathogenesis and Molecular Genetic Aspects of Salivary Gland Tumors — CyberLeninka.

8. Serous demilune — Wikipedia.

9. Progress in Salivary Glands: Endocrine Glands with Immune Functions — Frontiers.

10. Overview of Human Salivary Glands: Morphology and Histology — Wiley.

O‘roqova Nargiza, born on March 26, 2001, in Ishtikhon District, Samarkand Region. She is currently a first-year grant-funded student at Tashkent State Medical University.

Her professional activity includes working as a Biology teacher at Secondary School No. 33 in Ishtikhon District, Samarkand Region, during the 2024/2025 academic year. She graduated from Jizzakh State Pedagogical University, Faculty of Biology, in the 2020–2024 academic years. She has an excellent command of English, Russian, Arabic, and Turkish.

THE BALAKAVI VISIONARY: AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. BALACHANDRAN NAIR C.S.

BY RUPA RAO 

Introduction

Some individuals quietly reshape the world around them, not through grand speeches or positions of power, but through persistent acts of love, conviction, and service. Mr. Balachandran Nair C.S. — poet, mentor, retired CRPF officer, and the driving force behind the BALAKAVI School Level New Poets Initiative — is one such figure.

From a childhood shaped by hardship to a life dedicated to nurturing young voices across India and beyond, his journey is a testament to resilience, creativity, and unwavering belief in the transformative power of literature. This interview captures his story, his mission, and the extraordinary movement he has built — one child, one poem, one dawn at a time.

INTERVIEW

Q1. What inspires you to focus your energies on encouraging children across states and countries to write and recite poetry?

BN: No one knows, nor has anyone recorded, who first stood facing which direction and witnessed the beautiful dawn. Yet people still gather on hilltops and seashores to watch the sunrise. I am not the sun, a hill, or the sea, but I am still able to help literary enthusiasts witness the rising of schoolchildren as new poets—reciting poems they have written for the first time in their lives. Appearing in colourful school uniforms, sounding like chirping birds. I simply capture a small bit of their talent, cupping my palms around it like a firefly, revealing it when you open your eyes in the early morning. The happiness on children’s faces when you look at them in awe keeps me going, inspiring me to collect another firefly for your next dawn.

Q2. When and how did you come up with this concept?

BN: The 14th of November, the birthday of India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, is celebrated as Children’s Day. I received an invitation to speak to the students of Government High School, Njekkad (Kerala) on that day in 2021. From childhood, I always wanted to be different. So I made a request to the school authorities: I would collect and send poems authored by a few living poets, and the students would recite them during the celebration. In return, I promised to gift each student a poetry book. They agreed, and I collected poems and books from my Facebook friends and forwarded them to the school. The programme was a grand success—many children reciting poems by living, established poets, and those poets watching online. More than a hundred books were gifted to the students and the school library. It was then that it occurred to me: if a student writes and recites their own poem, it will benefit them in many ways. That was the first seed, and I decided to move forward with the idea.

Q3. When did you step into your creative writing phase, and how did it happen?

BN: I am from Kerala, and my mother tongue is Malayalam. I learned Tamil by reading cinema posters. My last four years of schooling were in Madras. I was obsessed with cinema and watched almost every film released at that time. Cinema articles were the first things I read in newspapers. After joining the Central Reserve Police, I hardly had time to write. But the urge to write film scripts slept deeply within me. When I received promotions and had more time, I finally sat down to write scripts—mostly at night. I wrote two or three and approached several well‑known studios between 1990 and 1992. There were promises, but nothing worked out. Later, I discovered that one of my scripts had been made into a film without credit. I ran out of the theatre crying. The same thing happened again with another script in Malayalam. That film won National and State Awards. Though devastated, I gained confidence that I can write. But I didn’t write again for fifteen years.

Q4. What is your family background?

BN: My father served in the British Indian Military. During World War II, he deserted the camp with a few friends to join the Indian Independence Movement and the INA. After independence, he returned home and became a hardcore Communist. He lost everything fighting court cases but ensured we never starved. None of us could study beyond matriculation. I lost my father in 1999 and my mother in 2004. I am from Attingal, Kerala. I married in 1977 and have two daughters, aged 46 and 44. The elder is a homemaker; the younger is a Headmistress. Both have two children each. My eldest grandchild works in IT; the others are studying.

Q5. Who inspired your love for poetry?

BN: I began using Facebook in 2016. Poet Anushka Sharma, a Punjabi settled in South Africa, was my first Facebook friend. I commented humorously on her poems, and she often said my comments outshone her writing. One day she insisted I write a poem myself. I wrote my first English poem at the age of sixty‑six.

Q6. How did you juggle writing and your career?

BN: In my early days as a soldier, I had no time or space to write. But I had access to a library and read extensively. Later, after promotions, I wrote at night. Writing film scripts was my passion.

Q7. Does anyone in your family follow in your footsteps?

BN: My youngest grandchild, Ashwin B. Nair, now fourteen, writes better than me. He published his first poetry anthology Darling Doodles in 2023 and his second, Dwelling Desires, in 2025. He attended online poetry meets with me and received appreciation from veteran poets. Now in high school, he writes during vacations.

Q8. What role does your wife play in your mission?

BN: My wife, Maheswari Amma, is a devoted homemaker. She constantly worries about my health, which suffers because I skip meals, drink little water, and hold my urine during school visits. I have undergone multiple renal stone surgeries and still undergo physiotherapy for a stiff neck caused by mobile‑phone use during the 2022 drive. As a pensioner, I spend much of my pension on travel and project expenses. She endures my endless phone calls and irregular routines without complaint. Her worries are justified… but I am not obedient. I have work to do—for the children. My dream is to give her one day free from my painful aaahhhs and woooohs.

Q9. Who supported you when you began, and who supports you now?

BN: The HaVen International literary platform, founded in 1999, was my first base. I began introducing schoolchildren through it on 1 January 2022. I contacted hundreds of poets worldwide and collected their biodata and simple poems for children to recite. The idea clicked. The 2022 programme ran for 365 days and created world records for:

·        407 New Poets introduced

·        357 living poets featured

·        87 countries involved

Certificates, prizes, and an annual function followed. After a break due to health issues, I revived the project in 2025, expanding it to include differently abled children. With HaVen inactive, I partnered with the International Academy of Ethics (IAE), led by Dr. Jernail S. Anand. The 2025 programme is broadcast daily through IAE and 21 global literary platforms.

Q10. Tell me about the children involved.

BN: Every child is a gem. In BALAKAVI, most New Poets are under ten. One school in Bangalore—East West Public School—has produced 92 New Poets, thanks to teacher Grace Sitharaman. As of 24.12.2025, 287 New Poets have been introduced in 152 days. Adding the 2022 drive, the total is 694. If all schools had cooperated, the number would be in the thousands.

Q11. What do you envision next?

BN: I run BALAKAVI single‑handedly. It is a massive daily task. If a global body that values literature, education, and peace recognizes this effort, it would fulfil my mission. Such recognition would inspire literary communities worldwide to think and act differently in a rapidly changing world.

Q12. What do you enjoy reading and writing?

BN: I love detective and fiction novels—Robert Ludlum, Stephen King, Ken Follett, Frederick Forsyth, Alistair MacLean, Wilbur Smith, Irving Wallace. I write Malayalam short stories and English poems, often with unexpected twists.

Q13. Anything more you’d like to add?

BN: I want to bring differently abled children into the limelight. Many parents hide them from society. I want to change that. And I wish I could give my wife a peaceful day… but I know that may remain a dream.

Q14. How did your partnership with IAE begin?

BN: I was introduced to IAE and its Director, Dr. Jernail Singh Anand, by Dr. Molly Joseph. Dr. Anand supported BALAKAVI wholeheartedly. He visited Kerala twice—once to distribute prizes to 100 students, and again with international scholars to meet New Poets. IAE broadcasts the programme daily, followed by 21 global platforms.

Q15. Any influencers or heroes you follow?

BN: My heroes are the children. They are like honey bees—buzzing, gathering nectar, never stinging, always singing. I simply help extract honey from their writings for the world to taste.

Q16. What dreams remain?

BN: I have published seven books—five poetry anthologies, one Malayalam short‑story collection, and one translated anthology. My poems appear in 92 books. One poem was translated into 89 languages. My dream is to continue guiding children to write and publish their own books.

* Bio of Mr. Balachandran Nair C.S.**

Mr. Balachandran Nair C.S. is a retired CRPF officer, poet, mentor, and the visionary behind the BALAKAVI School Level New Poets Initiative. Born in Attingal, Kerala, he overcame early hardships to become a passionate advocate for children’s literary expression. His work has introduced hundreds of young poets to the world, bridging cultures across 87 countries. A multilingual writer and translator, he has published seven books and contributed to over ninety anthologies worldwide. His mission remains simple yet profound: to nurture young voices, especially those often overlooked, and to spread literature, peace, and hope through the innocence of children.

Closing Note

Some people plant trees whose shade they will never sit under. Mr. Balachandran Nair plants poets.

Through his unwavering dedication, he has created a movement that transcends borders, languages, and limitations. His work reminds us that the future of literature does not lie in grand institutions, but in the small hands of children holding their first poem.

May his journey continue to inspire generations — and may the dawn he brings to young minds never fade.

Rupa Rao holds an MBA and a Law degree. She serves as an administrator at the Literary Warriors Group and as Chief Coordinator for the International Academy of Ethics. Her writings appear in global poetry anthologies, magazines, and literary platforms. She balances writing with hosting poetry sessions and author chats online. A lover of nature walks and yoga, she continually seeks to nurture her soul. She has completed an eminent author’s biography and has co‑authored, curated, and edited seven poetry anthologies and one prose work. She has also edited a novella and three poetry collections for writer friends.

HIDDEN HISTORY IN THE EYES: THE INNER WORLD OF HUMANS

Aliyeva Aziza Utkirovna

Abstract: This article is devoted to revealing a person’s inner world through the eyes. The author interprets the eyes not only as organs of sight but also as the most reliable mirror of human psyche, emotions, and inner history. The article vividly and profoundly depicts how the eyes reflect human experiences, memories, dreams, and inner sufferings. It also analyzes the possibility of understanding a person’s psyche, personal values, and worldview through the eyes. Written in an artistic style, the article harmonizes psychological and philosophical perspectives, allowing the reader to feel the complex and rich layers of a person’s inner world.

“The eye is a secret, the heart is a sea, the mind is the shore.”

— Rumi

Human eyes are not merely organs for seeing, recognizing, or being recognized. The eyes are the oldest book of a person, the most meaningful language in silence, a unique means of communication that needs no translator. Sometimes one cannot trust a person’s words, yet a fleeting sparkle in their eyes can reveal their entire life. A person’s inner history, experiences, suffering, joy, and dreams—all of these fit into these two small windows.

Reading the hidden history in the eyes means feeling the person, understanding their heart, comprehending them without repeated words. One glance draws a person closer, another pushes them away through the years. The eyes have their own truth, their own seal: there is no deception, no sarcasm, no place for polished words.

Every person’s inner world is unique. In someone’s eyes, the dust of ancient cities, old experiences, and heavy trials are reflected. In another’s eyes, there are yet unwritten pages of life—purity, dreams, simple trust. The eyes are a magical bridge that unites a person’s past and future. As long as a person lives, every experience, every loss and gain, every suffering and joy leaves a new line at the bottom of these eyes.

Sometimes people hide their eyes—they fear their own histories and do not wish to reveal the stories within. But it is impossible to completely cover the eyes. A person reveals themselves even without words. Compared to a world tired of excessive words, the eyes speak truth like a wound: noticeable, yet impossible to conceal.

The idea that the eyes are the mirror of the soul is not merely figurative. A person’s inner world, psyche, upbringing, past, and even what kind of person they will become in the future can be sensed there. By looking into someone’s eyes, one can feel who they are, what they have experienced, what they long for, and what they fear.

A person who can read the hidden history in the eyes understands others quickly. For this history never lies. There are no extra phrases in the conversation of the eyes, only inner truth. Some eyes comfort, some give strength, while others carry traces of hopeless events. Behind every gaze lies a world—a universe—a person.

Therefore, if you want to know a person’s inner world, first look into their eyes. There lie unspoken words, unfinished stories, deep thoughts, and hidden secrets. In every person’s eyes is a history written by themselves but never read to anyone.

Studying the hidden history in the eyes also allows analyzing people’s emotional and mental states. Every glance, every tremor, every smile reflects the questions and answers a person gives to themselves. Thus, the eyes are not only a spiritual mirror but also witnesses of the passage of time, human experiences, and inner changes.

The struggles in a person’s inner world are reflected through the eyes. Sometimes in subtle expressions, sometimes in sharp gazes. For instance, when a person recalls a painful memory, dark clouds appear in their eyes; in moments of joy, light shines. These moments, memories, and feelings are all written in the inner history of the eyes, and this history is never forgotten.

Understanding a person through the eyes is not just looking; it is a harmony of thought, intuition, and inner feelings. Sometimes the smooth silence of the eyes says more than words ever could. The eyes are the most truthful part of a person, leaving no room for lies or hypocrisy. Therefore, by observing the eyes, one can sense not only a person’s mental state but also their personal values and worldview.

Every person creates a hidden bridge between past and future in their eyes. Through the eyes, they recall past mistakes, successes, loves, and losses. In this way, the eyes become an open book of a person’s personal history, where every page is an event, every gaze a trace, every slight tremor an emotion.

Studying the hidden history in the eyes helps to understand a person more deeply. This study is not merely observation but feeling, accepting the learned knowledge with the heart. Therefore, the eyes are the most reliable means of exploring a person’s inner world, for they never lie.

The eyes have a unique magical power: they reveal a person’s inner world, memories, dreams, fears, and hopes. In this way, one can learn much about a person’s mental state, human behavior, and personal values. The eyes are a vivid expression of the richest and most complex history of a person.

The role of eyes in human psyche is not limited to individual memories; they also reveal subtle connections in social relations. Through the eyes, a person connects with others, expresses feelings, and even communicates without words. In this sense, the eyes are one of the oldest and most universal “languages” in human history. Each gaze provides the opportunity to read a person’s unique history and personal experience.

The human inner world is complex and layered. The eyes are like a window that reveals these layers one by one. In one glance, the simple memories of childhood are reflected; in another, the deep thoughts of adulthood. Through the eyes, a person’s inner experiences and emotions are revealed: calmness and anxiety, hope and worry, joy and suffering coexist.

Furthermore, the eyes reveal a person’s personal values and worldview. Through them, a person understands their inner problems and dreams, compares themselves with others, and shapes life decisions. Therefore, studying the eyes is an essential tool for understanding the human psyche. Eyes are delicate and precise indicators that provide a map of a person’s inner world.

Studying the hidden history in the eyes is interesting not only psychologically but also philosophically. Every gaze reflects the complex connection between a person’s past, present moment, and future. In this way, the eyes become a key that helps to understand a person’s inner world more deeply.