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

Tombstone

Tell me what should I compose 
My pen is paralyzed 
My garden turns into wasteland
My brain is fully unprofessional 
The Nature is disorder
The environment is disturbed 
The tree of loneliness is increasing 
Absence lives in presence 
Nobody can hear the heartbeat of air
I am without me
I am alone
Everyone is alone
The earth is alone
Birds do not dream 
Dream has no existence  
Flowers sleep outside the sight of butterflies

The butterflies burnt their flute
The cowboys don’t play flute
My spring has lost it's beauty 
Beauty doesn't smile 
The children have lost their silver moon
The moon doesn’t compose poems on the sky
The sky doesn't sing the song of humanity
Humanity doesn’t give water to the grasses
Grasses don’t walk on the roads
The roads are without passersby 
One fears another
 Shadow fears shadow
Life flies far away

History weeps behind civilization 
The pregnant darkness plays with darkness 
The funeral of spirituality has ended
The houses become hospitals 
The world is a graveyard 
Writing is a Tombstone   
Oh The Lord of the universe 
I am your
We are your 
Pardon us and save us.

Poetry from Nigar Nurulla Khalilova

Central Asian woman with short blonde hair, a light blue top and a black goat. She's sitting at a table.

I Once Wondered

What is your meaning, life?
I’m a forge,- it answered,
And you’re my steel for rifle.
But I don’t want to kill,
I’ll never be cause,
Don’t temper me, please,
For the sake of wars.
Turn me into Morality,
I’ll not bow to the golden calf.
Make me Humanity
And to all people cut.
Life finally said: Rejoice!
Work on Future, I give you a choice.



Nigar Nurulla Khalilova is a poet, novelist, translator from Azerbaijan, currently in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Member of Azerbaijan Writers Union. Graduated from Azerbaijan Medical university. Holds Ph,D Degree.

Poetry from J.D. Nelson

Five Untitled Monostichs



bowl of raisin brain taco filling in my socks



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raspberry clown known maritime repellant



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battle cake captain adenoid subculture



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millerbot brownie rice chickpea rice



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listen bug too-mato paste w/ bears



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bio/graf

J. D. Nelson’s poems have appeared in many publications, worldwide, since 2002. He is the author of eleven print chapbooks and e-books of poetry, including *purgatorio* (wlovolw, 2024). Nelson’s first full-length collection is *in ghostly onehead* (Post-Asemic Press, 2022). Visit his website, MadVerse.com, for more information and links to his published work. Nelson lives in Boulder, Colorado, USA.

Synchronized Chaos April 2024: Change of Seasons

Ice falls into a rocky lake from frozen waterfalls. Barren tree branches are heavy with the weight of snow.
Image c/o Peter Griffin

We are hosting our Metamorphosis gathering again! This is a chance for people to share music, art, and writing and to dialogue across different generations (hence the name, the concept of ideas morphing and changing over the years). This event is also a benefit for the grassroots Afghan women-led group RAWA, which is organized by women in Afghanistan who are currently supporting educational and income generation and literacy projects in their home county as well as assisting earthquake survivors. (We don’t charge or process the cash, you are free to donate online on your own and then attend!)

This will be Saturday April 6th, 2-4 pm in the fellowship hall of Davis Lutheran Church at 317 East 8th Street in Davis, California. It’s a nonreligious event open to all, the church has graciously allowed us to use the meeting room. You may sign up here on Eventbrite.

Also, we encourage everyone in the California area to attend the third annual Hayward Lit Hop on Saturday, April 27th. This is a public festival with different readings from different groups throughout downtown Hayward coinciding with Hayward’s choosing a new adult poet laureate, culminating in an afterparty at Hayward’s Odd Fellows Lounge. Several Synchronized Chaos contributors will read from their work at the 2024 Lit Hop.

Icon for Hayward's downtown Lit Hop, Orange background with green frog and white text reading Lit Hop, Saturday April 27th, 2-8 pm. Haywardlithop.com

This month, for April’s first issue, we’re reflecting on the change of seasons. We’re moving from winter to spring, or summer to fall in the Southern hemisphere. Much of the other work here deals with changes in moods, situations, stages of life, or with cultures and societies in times of change.

J.D. Nelson’s haiku evokes intriguing and disorienting seasonal transitions, while Jacques Fleury offers up an impressionistic reflection on a sunrise and the liminal state of consciousness between sleeping and waking. Hurliman Almuratova contributes a poetic piece about spring’s eventual return as Sayani Mukherjee glories in radiant poppies, Don Bormon listens to the symphony of natural sounds around him and Maja Milojkovic revels in the scents, colors, and renewal of spring. Annie Johnson exudes about diaphanous dawn, moonlight, and newborn creation in her poetry.

Mesfakus Salahin sees love all over the natural world around him. Kristy Raines speaks of a steady love where people know the depth of their connection even without using words. John Edward Culp writes of the tender growth of a relationship where there is trust. Davronbekova Sevinch speaks to the need to preserve integrity and trust. Graciela Noemi Villaverde writes of a gentle and silent love among the larks and lilacs. Inobat Karimova describes how her girls’ agricultural science club at school reflects the respect of her society for women, nurturing, the land, and life. Tammy Higgins’ photography concerns intersections of human culture and nature where nature remains present and vibrant.

Amirova Niginabonu’s work speaks to the cycles of nature and the ways of the mind as Michael Robinson reflects on loss and resurrection during the church season of Lent.

Female figure walks off towards a portal in a cave with an arched doorway and light.
Image c/o Gerd Altmann

Dildora Toshtemirova writes of celebrating her birthday after the loss of her parents. Sevinch Raxmanova illustrates coming of age amidst the loss of her parents and grandparents. Nosirova Gavhar’s piece focuses in on a single date to represent her grief at the loss of her mother.

Music pulls Taylor Dibbert back to thoughts of a marriage that ended, as Bill Tope describes an unconditional love that begins awkwardly but becomes very real until the title character’s death. Uzbekoyim’s poem reflects the pain of deeply caring for someone who does not return the care. Daniel De Culla comments on the vulnerability of women and children and the precarity of family life.

Surayyo Usmonova’s poetic story intermingles love, loss, and sorrow as J.J. Campbell speaks to longing and forbidden desires and Prasana Kumar conveys the pain of silence and words left unsaid. Sabina Rasulova writes of dreams dashed with reality and the absence of loved ones. John Sweet wonders what life is worth in a harsh and alienating world.

Mykyta Ryzhykh evokes the “silent emptiness” of alienation and modern warfare and Bill Tope dramatizes the toll of war and military and political oppression on civilian families and children. Azemina Krehic mourns the losses of so many mothers and the violence against women in Bosnia. Christopher Bernard highlights the folly of cycles of conflict and revenge in the Middle East. Mahbub Alam also expresses his hope that Gaza will find the peace he sees in nature. Linda Gunther reviews Ruta Sepetys’ WWII refugee survival story Salt to the Sea, exploring character development and internal and external conflict. In Nahyean Taronno’s detective story, while justice triumphs at the end, deception and violence seem a continual threat. Laylo Bakhtiyorova dramatizes the intensity of emotional pain, but reminds us that it will pass.

Muheez Ohamilekan gently encourages caution before being swept up in uncontrollable experiences as Maurizio Brancaleoni compares the uncertain journey of life to a train trip with an unstated destination.

Person with a walking stick and backpack and hat heads off at sunrise/sunset on a path towards some grass and trees and birds.
Image c/o Mohamed Mahmoud Hassan

Mark Young’s postwoman poems allude to life’s surprise gifts: one never knows what might arrive in the mail. Alan Catlin’s found poems repurpose other famous modern works in a fresh and surprising way, like Polaroids from the lives of artists.

Christina Chin, Shane Coppage, Marjorie Pezzoli and Jerome Berglund send up a group of concrete collaborative haiku that play with words and language.

Eddie Heaton crafts impressionistic takes on relationships and words and literature through long voyages of the mind. Goran Tomic alludes to a different kind of voyage through his collages of vintage images of flowers and clothes and buildings, illustrating city life in the time of the flaneurs.

Sevinch Tolquinova celebrates the value of reading and learning from books. James Whitehead illuminates the honest empathy of Richard Vargas’ poetry collection leaving a tip at the Blue Moon Motel.

Vintage image of a biplane, a steam train, a luggage cart, various people in suits and dresses, a boat and cable car and city scape, and old timey cars in front of a map of the United States and Canada.
Photo c/o Andrea Stockel

Brian Barbeito crafts a long series of character sketches and vignettes, while Noah Berlatsky’s humorous piece speculates on what sort of poet he wants to become. Ifora Olimjonova compares introverts to extroverts and suggests that many people are somewhat in the middle.

Jeffrey Spahr-Summers speaks to a society in transition with his poems on the latent cultural and racial tension in South Africa. Z.I. Mahmud writes of the power and limits of words and memory in Toni Morrison’s Beloved, and how the novel’s characters reclaim their flesh and history.

Thaalith Gimba offers up a dramatic poem of self-assertion, as John Grey crafts muscular poems on human needs and physical existence. Qurbonova Gulsanam extols the power of dedication and self-efficacy in working towards a goal as Donoxon Ibodullayeva reflects on the potential for developing Uzbek youth leadership through school and after-school organizations. Lilian Dipasupil Kunimasa’s childlike poems trace and celebrate our creative journeys through life. Dildora Toshtemirova urges readers to join her in living their dreams as Stephen Jarrell Williams speculates on whether he can bring his into reality.

Duane Vorhees’ poems of the gods and the ancients situate personal and cultural history within geological and natural timescales.

Ancient Latin star chart with writing and illustrations of cherubs in white on a dark blue background.
Image c/o Andrea Stockel

Bahramova Ifora Sunnatillayevna outlines the research of historical astronomer Mirzo Ulug’bek as Amirjonov Og’abek describes the ancient Islamic architecture of Samarkand. Wazed Abdullah commemorates the independence and pride of Bangladesh. Akhrorova Sarvinoz illuminates the historical and cultural value of cities in Uzbekistan, Rasulberdi Ashiraliyev highlights the Uzbek heritage of jurisprudence and the rule of law, Mirzo Ulugbek outlines types and structures of Uzbek businesses, and Xushroy Abdunazarova speaks to the history and beauty of the Uzbek language.

Gulsevar Xojamova encourages educators of Uzbek youth to draw on the nation’s cultural heritage in their lessons. Irodaxon Ziyoyeva discusses how to combine modern and traditional educational methods in the classroom, Shoshura Husaynova explores how to teach English with idiom and cultural context, Muhammadamin Xojamov addresses methods of mathematics instruction, Tolipova Zebuniso Ulug’bekovna draws on modern psychology and learning style theory in her recommendations for children’s education in Uzbekistan, Gulbahor Ergasheva discusses online learning technology, and Gulsevar Xojamova speaks to the role of information technology in modern Uzbek schools.

Work desk with a person's hand holding a cup of coffee above a laptop, a bunch of books, an open book, a phone, some pencils, a candle, and a notebook.
Image c/o Mohamed Mahmoud Hassan

Makhfiratkhon Abdurakhmonova and Abdullayeva Dilkhumor Abdukarimovna discuss strategies for effective early childhood education while Azi Umurzoqova highlights the importance of preschool education to her Uzbek homeland.

Uzbek writer Ruxzara Adiliqizi’s poetry carries a delicate mixture of love and patriotism. Boqijonova Madinabonu relates a story of the hard work and dedication of a mother, while Abdullayeva Feruza urges respect for parents and acknowledgement of their care. Farzona Koshimova writes of the importance of manners and respect for elders while Dilnurabonu Vayisova dreams of traveling the world with her mom.

We hope that this issue will deepen your heart and awaken your curiosity as you travel with us. Bon voyage!

Essay from Donoxon Ibodullayeva (needs to stay April 1)

Teenage Central Asian girl with black hair and eyes and a white headband and black braids and a kitty on her white polo shirt and a black jacket. She's standing outside under a few trees on a sunny day.
Donoxon Ibodullayeva

“Social activism or exemplary education”

In the fast-pased world, it is completely wrong to think that the “Youth Union” and voluntary organizations consist of idleness and only taking the time of students. I think that every student should be socially active along with education, because sharing the knowledge and skills that they have with others, organizing various creative projects for their peers, and sharing news there is no bad side, on the contrary, it is very useful. But some teachers are against it, in their opinion, the knowledge of the student who joins the organization decreases and his grades fall. Unfortunately, through such wrong ideas, they are withdrawing students from social activity. After all, if they don’t share their knowledges with others, why are they studying, just to enter the university? Well, let’s say he or she is a student, if they do not have initiative, if they can not speak fluently, what kind of staff will they become?

We ambitious youngsters must conquer the highest peaks. Of course, in order to achieve these results, we need a clear structure.”Youth Union” organization helps us lay this solid foundation.

Every student who joins the organization develops a number of skills, such as working with a team, thinking deeply, and speaking fluently, and these skills will always be useful to the student in the future, regardless of what kind of work they will do. In addition, this organization provides us with unforgettable childhood memories, and always calls for activity and unity. Every student who steps into the leadership system can’t get out of it again, because a person who has found his place in a society does not want to leave the system at all.

The leaders of Uzbekistan are a big, united and inseparable family! Organizing projects and motivational training together with them gives me energy. Another pillar of leadership is that it teaches students to be positive, because a positive person can lead those around them to a brighter future. I can say without hesitation that the first step to leadership begins with “Youth Union”. I am proud to join this organization, and I encourage all my peers to join this system!

Let’s unite youngers and leave the past behind and move towards the future. Let’s try so that our name will take place in the pages of history!!!

Story from Dildora Toshtemirova

Diagonal shot of a young Central Asian girl with curly black hair and a blue sweater. She's standing in the corner of  a room.
Dildora Toshtemirova

I miss you

Today, my parents, is my birthday. But this birthday is not happy at all. You know, father and mother, I miss you, that innocent girl of 7 years old. I was very happy at that time. I still remember those days. I have not yet heard from anyone what I heard from you. No one could support me like you. I really miss those moments and days with you.

You know, I’m so tired of the day you left me at my grandmother’s house and went to the girl’s house. Every year when that day comes, I can’t find a place to put myself. I still remember my parents telling me “Don’t go, take me too.” And you said, “Daughter, we will definitely come tomorrow, we will bring you lots of chocolates and dolls.” Then I boasted to my grandmother and said, “Grandma, you see, tomorrow my father will bring me many toys and chocolates, they will not give them to anyone, they will bring them only for me.” Then my grandmother smiled and said, “Of course they will.” I will never forget these words.

When I woke up the next day, I was very happy that my father and mother would come today. But this feeling of joy left me. My grandmother was crying, her eyes were full of tears, she was punching the ground and crying. I went to my grandmother and said, “Don’t cry, why are you crying? Mom and dad are coming, they will be sad to see you.” My grandmother couldn’t stop the tears in her eyes and said “I won’t cry, my daughter, I won’t cry”. I could not understand why my grandmother was crying.

On this day, all our relatives came to our house. My aunt, uncle, aunt, uncle, etc. I was looking for you among them. Then I slowly went to my grandmother and asked, “Grandma, when will my father and mother come?” Then my grandmother said “Tomorrow will come tomorrow” and added “Last time” while crying softly. And I could not understand what was happening. The next morning, many people started coming to our house. Women used to come to our house wearing white veils, and men wore caps on their heads, and I didn’t like this situation. 2 months ago, many people came to the house of our neighbor Saliha’s grandmother. The people who came to their house were dressed in the same way. After that, grandmother Saliha disappeared. I was afraid when I remembered them. I cried because my father and mother would not come again, so my grandmother came to me and asked, “Why are you crying? What happened?” And I kept crying, “I need my parents, find me, I’ll go with them, where are they?” My grandmother tried to persuade me, but she could not.

All of a sudden, at that moment, the surroundings became silent. I could not understand anything as usual. I also became silent. Two big things were coming out of the door. I was wondering what it was. Now I know that it is a coffin. That’s why you were there, mom and dad. Then they took out the coffin, that is, you. After that, I did not see you again. You disappeared like grandmother Saliha. I used to harass my poor grandmother by asking for you.

You know, parents, these things will never leave my mind. Maybe when I told you not to go, if you had not left, such incidents would not have happened. Maybe we would celebrate my 17th birthday with you, I don’t know… I wouldn’t spend every day, month, year in loneliness. Now I wouldn’t miss the words “We love you girl”. I always miss the days spent with you. I love you parents. You are not with me, but I know that you are always with me from the heart, my beloved father and mother.

Essay from Inobat Karimova

Young Central Asian woman standing outside in front of trees and a house. She's got black hair and bangs and earrings and is in a lacy white top and a pink jacket and is giving a thumbs up.
Inobat Karimova

“Eastern woman’s enlightenment”

     Woman! Ever since humanity appeared on earth and recognized itself, this mysterious and strange creature has not yet been defined and explained! Just as every soul discovers the feeling of love anew, definitions of women are updated every time and always. However, there is one divine truth that will never be forgotten and will never change – this is that the Creator created woman with the high status of MOTHER. That is why it is not for nothing that special emphasis is placed on the sacred and respectability of Motherland. For centuries, the cultural level and spiritual perfection of any society was determined by the attitude towards women. Honoring women and showing respect to them is one of the characteristics of the Eastern peoples, including the Uzbek people. The more the nation glorifies women, the more it is glorified. Here, in the words of Simone de Beauvoir, “They are not born as women, they are formed as women”, that is, the development of women’s intelligence is a product of the education she received in her youth and throughout her life.

In the Eastern nations, women were brought up with great attention and sophistication from birth. It would not be wrong to say that these traditions still continue today. Because we see the attention and respect for our women in every part of our society and our women are also a pillar for the development of the country to the extent that they are no less than brave men in every field, be it politics, society, or agriculture. we can witness that he is working hard. Because today, the efforts aimed at protecting the rights of women, helping to develop their intellectual and business potential, and encouraging their initiatives are creating a basis for the rise of the status of our sisters in the family and society.

Here, as an example, we can cite the fact that the “Irrigator girls” club has been operating in a small corner of this country at the agricultural institute, and it has managed to do a number of things before it has been long. This club aims to identify creative female students in the fields of science, art, poetry, sports, who are studying at the Karshi Institute of Irrigation and Agrotechnologies under the initiative of the head of this institute Z.Z.Mukimov was established for the purpose of development and support. As soon as we hear it, you can say how poets, connoisseurs of creativity, and gentle souls can get an education in the field of agriculture. However, in this institute, the girls are not only educated in agricultural fields, but they are showing that they are all-round talented and sharp companions, including their leadership skills. The head of the “Irrigator girls” club, Mrs. Yakubova Shakhnoza, extends her hand of help to the girls in every way and gives more energy to the creations of our girls.

Two women teachers in a short dress and in a skirt and jacket stand in a library flanked by young teen girls. The girls are in school uniforms that are collared white shirts with blue designs on the collar and white skirts with blue designs.
The Irrigator Girls

We can conclude from this that as our respected first president Islam Karimov said, “Glorifying a woman means glorifying the Motherland and life.” Today, this is literally proves that our women can show their leadership ability in any corner of our country and in any field, and also unite the family and society, bringing blessings to it. It is proof that they can illuminate our homes with the light of kindness. Maybe that’s why there is no such kind and playful woman anywhere in the world as an Uzbek woman who rocks the cradle until dawn, bakes sweet cakes from the oven for her child, puts her glasses on her child’s eyes.