Poetry from Michael Robinson

Middle aged Black man with short hair and brown eyes. He's got a hand on his chin and is facing the camera.
Poet Michael Robinson

GOD’S TREE OF THE SPIRIT


Scripture: Psalm 52:8 (NIV)- “But I am like an olive tree, flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.”


Message: God’s promise to me has allowed me to flourish over the decades. His love keeps me on the path of righteousness. Like the olive tree, there is nourishment in my spirit daily. Moment by moment the Holy Spirit surrounds me, directing my path to eternal life.
It is faith given to me to love God without reservation. Trust was absolute in my life. God’s grace has allowed me to be taught the greatness of His love. This gift of His grace was freely given to me.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 states; Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.” Jesus Christ, God’s holy Son, teaches me to love the Father. My soul receives nourishment and is refreshed in the seasons of rain. God’s love has brought everlasting joy through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross leading to salvation and redemption for all. Once my soul was renewed, the world faded into darkness, which allowed the Lord’s light to transform my service to Him. Now the freedom of life here on earth preparing me for my eternal life with the Father. I am now resting in the full confidence of having been accepted in the Kingdom of Heaven.


Prayer: My soul has returned to you for you are merciful. The world is full of darkness, decay, and turmoil. Give us peace and guide us to your Kingdom. We know you are loving, merciful and full of grace. We ask that you do not forsake us, for your Son Jesus Christ has prepared a table for all who honor and praise you and give you glory.
Amen.

Poetry from Jacques Fleury

Young adult Black man with short shaved hair, a big smile, and a suit and purple tie.
Jacques Fleury


Fear!

For “the others” of the world

Young white guy with his hands over his face. Black and white image where he's standing in a field of tall grass and reeds.
Image c/o Victoria Borodinova

Fear is sharp thick hate
Often blooms in silence
Hate smells  fear!
Fear smells  hate!
Like a tappet
It’s verbiage 

                   lures and ensnares!
Brothers sisters
Offspring of fear          beware!
I know your hurt
Your past projected onto
My posterity
Future generations twirl
Uncomfortably in our debris
Heal your wound through me
We can be one       wisdom
Hate and  fear abide in symbiosis
Longing for aerialist       freedom
When hate chains me
Then happiness      overflows
From my core  viscera
I am a prophecy of peace
Or am I?
A brother to       “the others”
On the                                  waysides
The speck of   light
In the winter          night
Fear is sharp thick hate
A sorrowful    cacophony
Longing for aerialist    freedom
When it chains me…

Silhouetted figure leaping off into the unknown with hand and leg raised. Bushes and tree in the foreground, mountains ahead. Book is green and yellow with black text and title.
Jacques Fleury’s book You Are Enough: The Journey Towards Understanding Your Authentic Self

Jacques Fleury is a Boston Globe featured Haitian-American Poet, Educator, Author of four books and 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 Muddy River Poetry Review, 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.

Poetry from Eva Petropoulou

Light skinned European woman with green eyes and brown hair leaning to the right. She's outside at night near some ferns.

Peace

I like the colour of the nature

Is pink and green and blue

I like the dreams that comes to my sleep

Smiles at children’s faces

I like the creativity that brings me so much happiness

Poems and stories travel like birds

Feel like a child

Feel free

I like the colours of the rainbow

I like the rain

I like the sea

This is the peace for me

People from so many different countries

That became my brother and sister…

…..

A book

A book open his pages

A boy start to read

And heroes come out of the chapter

Weapons start to make a noise

Bombs Was coming down to buildings

School were vanished

The boy start to cry….

Nobody could hear it

They were all occupied to count their small green and blue papers. .

So much paper

So many bombs

So many people occupied from the nothing …

That comes and destroy

Everything…

The boy closed the book…

He took another one

And he starts looking the beautiful illustrations

So Many flowers

And strange fruits

And a lot of animals that were sitting

 just around a big lake.

There was a forest also with big trees

And a big mountain

The chapter had a title:

_The peaceful world of

Olivia_

The boy continued to read

and that afternoon was the most amazing time in the world.. 

Eva Lianou Petropoulou is an awarded author and poet from Greece with more than 25 years in the literary field. She has published more than 10 books.

Her poems are translated into more than 25 languages. She is an official candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Eva Lianou Petropoulou is President of Creativity and Art for Mil Mentes Por Mexico Association representing Greece. She is also a member of international associations of authors and artists in Greece, a member of the Association of Korinthian Authors, a member of the Pirea Association of Authors and Artists, and an ambassador of Namaste Magazine in India.

Her work The Adventures of Samurai Nogasika San has been translated into English, Spanish, and Mandarin.

Poetry from Mesfakus Salahin

South Asian man with reading glasses and red shoulder length hair. He's got a red collared shirt on.
Mesfakus Salahin

You Can’t Love Me

Who can judge me?

Who can measure me?

Nobody either judge and measure me

Or even judge a stone of a fountain

You are limited

But the word ‘I’ is unconditional and unlimited

‘I’ does not mean myself

It is more than myself

A stone is not only a stone

It is more than what you mean

It can speak

But you can’t speak with it

It bears the history and mystery of dream 

It is a observer of time

It can read us

But the new generation won’t read it

The reflection of my face on the mirror is not complete

The mirror can’t reflect wholeness 

It can’t reflect the the inner ‘l’ of ‘l’

Very often I fail to hold me

My body is a holder

It holds something

But what is something is unknown to me and you

You can’t judge me

You can’t measure me

You can’t hold me

You can’t love me.

You love a man who is perfect and pure

I am not perfect and pure

Everyday l walk on the street of mistakes

l embrace with them

I am not the truest flower in the garden

My face doesn’t express everything

I am not large, vast and self-sufficient 

My heart is not more open and free 

It does not bear authentic taste 

It is not more connected and purposeful 

I am smaller than tiny

I am not enough to love you.

Poetry from Murodillayeva Mohinur

Central Asian teen girl with dark hair in braids and brown eyes and a white frilly blouse.

Mother…

My treacherous friends set a trap,

I did not expect loyalty from anyone.

I have been looking for you for a long time, my faithful man,

I am amazed at your patience today.

I’m a fool who painted whites on your hair,

Tell me if I’m worth it, mother.

I cry that the world is a lie

I’m sorry, I can’t look you in the eyes.

Ranjima from Mohinur,

Now I know how much you appreciate me.

Mom, I’m amazed at your patience today.

I see the world again

Murodillayeva Mohinur, a 10th-grade student of the 44th general secondary school of Guzor district, Kashkadarya region.

Poetry from Rukshona Rasulova

Teen Central Asian girl with dark hair and a white collared shirt.

My grandmother left us today

My grandmother left us today

She flew to the skies, my love

When will you come back?

Come quickly, dear grandmother.

What will your children do now that you are

You didn’t attend your grandchildren’s weddings

At weddings, eyebrows are raised 

You did not sit in the nets.

My father left you 

You cheated and cheated 

Advising and praying

You have gone to the second world.

70 against the spring

You did the work

After the Prophet’s age 

You have entered heaven.

My child is my child

You made everyone happy

Your love is overflowing

You escaped three times.

Your daughter is Gulshanoy

Your son is Wahabjon

All your children

Grandma is waiting for you.

Be happy when a guest comes

You said write a table

He hugged the guest

You are welcome.

How much pain from your head 

You had a good time, grandma

When I say I have recovered 

You are gone, grandmother.

For children

My grandmother couldn’t get enough

At grandchildren’s weddings

He did not sit down, my dear.

May you be blessed in the hereafter, my grandmother

May your place be in heaven, my dear

May your heart always be bright

God bless you my god.

Rasulova Rukhshona Vahobjon’s daughter was born on October 16, 2008 in Rishton district of Fergana region. In 2015, she started studying in the 1st grade of school 34 in this district. Currently, she is a 10th grade student at this school. Rukhshona Rasulova is interested in participating in various competitions, writing poems and stories, and reading many books.

She regularly participates in school and district competitions and takes pride of place. She has also participated in many online contests and earned international certificates.

She is a member of various creative teams and the winner of the 2024 Science Horizon project and the owner of the badge “Follower of the Great Fighters”. She won 2nd place in the district stage of the intellectual game “Zakovat.”

As a young artist she has unlimited goals in her heart. Her biggest dream is to become a “young reader”. Rukhshona Rasulova’s poems were published in one of the most prestigious magazines of Great Britain “Raven Cage” and “Kenya Time” in Thailand. And she has participated in various anthologies covering artists across the Republic. Her creative works are included in the collections “Travel to the land of happiness”, “Young talents”, “Youth of Uzbekistan”, “Heart lines”, “Stars of the sky”, “Ijod va me”.

She also published a number of creative works in the international anthology “Buyuk jadidchilar izdoshi” almanac-anthology, which was held across the Republic. Currently, she is the head of the “Young creatives” circle at Ruhshona 34 general secondary school. At the same time, her creative works were also published in the newspaper “Tong ystziri” published throughout the Republic. And Shijoat is the regional coordinator of the free volunteering organization. We hope you will enjoy reading some of her works.

Poetry from Taylor Dibbert

Forever London

London isn’t fuzzy 

And his memories

Of her 

Aren’t fading,

His forever London

Is here 

To stay.

Taylor Dibbert is a writer, journalist, and poet in Washington, DC. “Rescue Dog,” his fifth book, was published in May.