Dr. Barbaros İrdelmen, poet, writer, translator, and retired specialist in internal medicine and nephrology, with 19 published poetry collections to date, his works have been included in numerous national and international anthologies, poetry festivals, and selected literary compilations. Currently a poetry columnist for Edebiyat Magazin Newspaper and TV, also contributes actively to prominent literary journals such as Pazartesi14 NEYYA Edebiyat, Kirpi Edebiyat ve Düşünce Dergisi, writer for the Papirus Magazine, Literature House, Our Poetry Archive, Atunis Galaxy Poetry writer. As a member of the Writers Syndicate of Turkey, he is not only known for his original poetry but also as a leading figure in the translation of world poetry written in English into Turkish. İrdelmen is also a member of the poetry translator’s community, part of the ITHACA Foundation (Spain), building cultural and literary bridges across borders through the power of poetry.
The Significance of Foreign Language Learning for Young People
Norqulova Madina
a second-year undergraduate student
Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages
Abstract:
In this article, the significance of foreign language proficiency in the lives of young people is analyzed. The impact of foreign languages on the educational process, professional development, and social engagement is examined from a scientific and theoretical perspective. Furthermore, the article substantiates that, in the context of globalization, the acquisition of foreign languages serves as a crucial factor in enhancing the competitiveness of youth.
Key words: Foreign language education; youth competitiveness; globalization; language proficiency; international integration; human capital; educational reforms; multilingualism; global labor market; lifelong learning.
Introduction
In the current era of globalization, knowledge of foreign languages is considered one of the crucial factors for societal development. In a period when information exchange has accelerated and international relations have expanded, young people’s mastery of foreign languages plays a significant role in their intellectual, professional, and social development. In particular, English, as a means of international communication, occupies a leading position in the fields of education, science, and technology.
Literature review
Foreign language proficiency contributes to the development of young people’s cognitive potential and enhances their critical thinking skills. Scientific research indicates that knowledge of multiple languages broadens an individual’s intellectual perspective and enables them to approach problems from various viewpoints. At the same time, acquiring foreign languages fosters young people’s ability to independently analyze information.
Within the education system, foreign language proficiency is regarded as one of the key factors ensuring academic mobility. Proficiency in a foreign language is considered a prerequisite for participation in international educational programs, grants, and exchange projects. Moreover, access to foreign academic sources and research contributes significantly to improving students’ overall level of knowledge.
At the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, the President of our country emphasized: “The future and prosperity of our planet depend on what kind of people our children grow up to be. Our main task is to create the necessary conditions for young people to fully realize their potential.”At a time when the boundaries between globalization, culture and values, and national identity are rapidly diminishing, language plays a crucial and fundamental role in enabling young people to integrate into the global community. Today, young people clearly understand that without knowledge of foreign languages, it is almost impossible to find a place in international business, science, politics, economics, or the fields of information and communication technologies.
Furthermore, the establishment of the “El-yurt umidi” Foundation, aimed at providing opportunities for young people to study abroad, train specialists, and maintain communication with compatriots, has served as an additional incentive. One of the main requirements for participating in the foundation’s selection process is possessing a valid national (CEFR) or international language certificate (such as IELTS, TOEFL, or DELF). Every year, hundreds of young people take advantage of this opportunity to pursue undergraduate or master’s degrees at foreign higher education institutions and return to their homeland as skilled professionals. According to many of them, knowledge of a foreign language not only broadens their worldview but also serves as a key that opens the door to the global arena.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the mastery of foreign languages plays a pivotal role in the personal, academic, and professional development of young people in Uzbekistan. As globalization continues to shrink the distances between cultures, values, and national identities, foreign language proficiency has become a key factor for youth to successfully integrate into the global community. The state’s efforts to provide favorable conditions—such as high-quality language education, international certification support, and opportunities for studying abroad—ensure that young people can fully realize their potential. Ultimately, enhancing foreign language skills not only broadens the worldview of the youth but also equips them with the knowledge, competencies, and confidence necessary to contribute effectively to the country’s prosperity and compete in the international labor market.
Reference
1.Crystal, D. (2019). English as a Global Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
2.Nunan, D. (2015). Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages: An Introduction. London: Routledge.
3.Graddol, D. (2006). English Next. British Council.
4.Baker, C. (2011). Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
5.Galloway, N., & Rose, H. (2015). Introducing Global Englishes. London: Routledge.
6.Phillipson, R. (2009). Linguistic Imperialism Continued. London: Routledge.
7.Kachru, B. B., Kachru, Y., & Nelson, C. L. (Eds.). (2006). The Handbook of World Englishes. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
8.Jenkins, J. (2006). World Englishes: A Resource Book for Students. London: Routledge.
9.Samovar, L. A., Porter, R. E., & McDaniel, E. R. (2012). Communication Between Cultures. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
10.Crystal, D. (2003). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Norqulova Madina was born in Pastdargʻom district, Samarqand region, Uzbekistan, in 2006. She is a 19-year-old undergraduate student currently in her second year at Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages. Madina has earned over 50 certificates in various academic and professional fields, demonstrating her strong commitment to continuous learning and personal development. She has achieved a B2 level in English, reflecting her solid proficiency in the language. Her extensive qualifications highlight her dedication to academic excellence and her readiness to participate in international educational and research opportunities.
Introduction This article analyzes the impact of migration on culture from the perspectives of personal identity, cultural adaptation, and transformation. Migration is not only a geographical phenomenon but also a process that leads to significant changes in cultural space. This research examines cultural hybridity and individuals’ understanding of their cultural identity within the context of migration. The article is based on a theoretical analysis conducted at the intersection of cultural studies and the social sciences.
In today’s technology-driven world, migration has become a global tendency. Economic inequality, political instability, and opportunities for education and employment are among the main factors that motivate people to move from one region to another. When migrants settle in a new place, they bring their traditional customs, language, and mentality with them. As a result, intercultural interaction and mutual cultural influence increase.
Sociological and Cultural Background In sociology and cultural studies, migration is defined as the permanent or temporary relocation of people. Culture encompasses historical experience, customs, language, art, and other social conditions of a society. Therefore, migration is an indispensable part of social life and cultural development.
Cultural scholars argue that migrants initially attempt to preserve their original culture; however, over time, they gradually adopt elements of the host culture. Migration also influences individuals’ self-perception. Migrants living in a new cultural environment often face the question, “Who am I?” This situation triggers the reconstruction of cultural identity.
Cultural Adaptation and Identity Migrants are required to adapt to new cultural norms while simultaneously striving to preserve their traditional, religious, or linguistic identities. This dual process contributes to cultural development and transformation. As a result of migration, cultural hybridity emerges. Cultural hybridity manifests itself in language use, clothing styles, and everyday practices. For example, in regions with migrant populations, new festivals, as well as literary and musical forms, may develop. Traditional values are often reinterpreted within the context of migration.
Globalization and Migration Globalization is one of the main factors that accelerates migration. Advances in information technologies and transportation systems strengthen intercultural connections. Globalization provides practical conditions for migration; however, a major challenge in the globalized world is the preservation of cultural identity.
Conclusion Migration is a process that exerts a profound and multifaceted influence on culture in contemporary society. It leads to the reshaping of personal identity as well as to cultural hybridity and transformation. While migration intensifies intercultural interaction and enriches societies culturally, it also creates challenges related to cultural adaptation and identity preservation. Therefore, a thorough examination of these issues is essential for ensuring intercultural harmony in the future.
AGREEMENT OF ADJECTIVES AND NOUNS IN FRENCH AND UZBEK
Xurramova Farangiz
Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages
Faculty of Romance and Germanic Languages
2nd year student of the French Department
Annotation: This article deals with adjective–noun agreement in French and Uzbek. From a comparative perspective, it examines gender and number agreement of adjectives in French and the grammatical invariability of adjectives in Uzbek. The study identifies key differences between the two grammatical systems and contributes to reducing difficulties in learning French.
Keywords: French language, Uzbek language, adjective–noun agreement, comparative grammar, adjective variation
INTRODUCTION
The study of grammatical relations between word classes in linguistics is of great theoretical and practical importance. In particular, the relationship between adjectives and nouns is one of the main factors that determine the grammatical structure of each language. These relationships are expressed differently in different types of languages. French belongs to the group of inflectional languages, while Uzbek is an agglutinative language.
For this reason, the agreement of adjectives and nouns is based on different grammatical mechanisms in these languages. This article will be devoted to a comparative analysis of these differences.
Quality and agreement of horses in French
In French, adjectives must agree with the noun in gender (masculine, feminine) and number (singular, plural). This agreement is manifested in the formal variation of the quality and is one of the important features of the French grammatical system (Grevisse, 2016).
For example
un garçon intelligent
une fille intelligente
des garçons intelligents
In addition, there are color adjectives, compound adjectives, and some invariable adjectives that create exceptions to the agreement process. These complexities pose a challenge for foreigners learning French, including Uzbek speakers.
Quality and attitude of horses in Uzbek
In Uzbek, adjectives are grammatically invariable and do not agree with the noun in gender or number. An adjective only indicates the sign or characteristic of a noun and does not undergo formal changes (Rahmatullayev, 2006).
For example:
good book
good books
big house
big houses
It is clear that even though the noun changes in number, the adjective retains its form. In Uzbek, grammatical relations are mainly expressed through suffixes, while adjectives perform a lexical-semantic function.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This study examined the issue of agreement of adjectives and nouns in French and Uzbek based on a comparative-linguistic approach. Descriptive, comparative and analytical techniques were used in the research process. Based on the materials of both languages, the grammatical features of adjectives, their relationship with the noun and their function in speech were determined.
Using the comparative analysis method, the agreement of adjectives with nouns in terms of gender (masculine, feminine) and number (singular, plural) in French and the invariability of adjectives in Uzbek were compared. In the study, the formative and semantic aspects of grammatical agreement were given special attention.
In the process of grammatical (structural) analysis, the formative changes of adjectives in French, concurrence suffixes and exceptional cases were considered. In the Uzbek language, the invariability of adjectives and their semantic connection with nouns were analyzed using examples. Examples of interesting Uzbek book – interesting books were compared, for example, with the French forms un livre intéressant – des livres intéressants.
Through semantic analysis, the role of adjectives in expressing meaning and their function in identifying characteristics were studied. It was found that although the meaning of adjectives is similar in both languages, there are significant differences in their grammatical expression.
In addition, the features of the use of adjectives in oral and written speech were analyzed using the method of functional analysis. It was determined that the correct agreement of adjectives in French ensures the grammatical correctness of speech, while the invariability of adjectives in Uzbek serves the simplicity and clarity of speech.
These methodological approaches served to comprehensively cover the subject of the study and scientifically reveal the main differences in the systems of adjective and noun agreement in French and Uzbek.
TAHLIL VA NATIJALAR
Til
Misol
Grammatik holat
Izoh
Tahlil natijalari
French
Un homme courageux
Masculin, singulier
The adjective ends in -x, the agreement is preserved.
Gender and number agreement binding
French
Une femme courageuse
Féminin, singulier
The adjective has the suffix -e.
Sex-specific variation
French
Des maisons blanches
Féminin, pluriel
Quality came with es
Gender and age are displayed simultaneously.
French
Un travaille difficile
Masculin, singulier
The quality does not change in form.
There are also unchanging adjectives.
Uzbek
Go’zal qiz
Invariant
Quality does not undergo a formal change.
There is no grammatical agreement.
Uzbek
Go’zal qizlar
Invariant
The noun is plural, the adjective does not change.
No number agreement.
Uzbek
Eski uy
Invariant
Denotes character
Quality only serves a semantic function.
Uzbek
Baland binolar
Invariant
No gender category
Agglutinative property
Comparative analysis: Comparative analysis shows that in French, the agreement of adjectives and nouns is an integral part of the grammatical system, while in Uzbek, such agreement does not exist. This situation causes interference phenomena in the speech of Uzbek speakers learning French. In particular, errors related to the disagreement of adjectives in gender and number are common. The comparative approach is of significant methodological importance in identifying and eliminating these problems in advance.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE USED
In the course of this study, a number of scientific sources devoted to highlighting the grammatical structure of French and Uzbek languages were analyzed. In particular, the question of quality and horse agreement in French grammar has been studied in depth by many mature linguists.
M. in highlighting the issue of gender and numerical agreement of adjectives with nouns in French. The work “Le Bon Usage” by Grevisse is an important source. This work details the agreement of adjectives, exceptions, and the grammatical features of adjectives that do not change and indicate color. Bescherelle’s grammar guides also systematically explain the rules of agreement of adjectives in French, which are of great practical importance from the point of view of grammar.
In Russian linguistics, V. covered the issues of general and comparative grammar. V. Vinogradov’s scientific views are important. His works theoretically substantiate the grammatical relations between parts of speech, including the agreement of adjectives. Also, A. V. Kunin and N. N. Amosova’s works highlight the semantic and functional aspects of grammatical categories, providing an important theoretical framework for comparative analysis.
Grammatical features of adjectives in Uzbek linguistics and their relationship with the noun Sh. Rahmatullayev’s work “The Modern Uzbek Literary Language” covers this topic extensively. The author scientifically demonstrates the invariability of adjectives in the Uzbek language and their participation only as lexical units denoting a sign. A. E. Mamatov and A. Hajiyev’s research also analyzed in depth the grammatical system of the Uzbek language, the functional features of word categories.
On the basis of these sources, the agreement of quality and nouns in French and Uzbek was studied in a comparative way, identifying the main differences in the grammatical system of the two languages. The literature used served to strengthen the theoretical basis of the study as well as to ensure the scholarship of the conclusions drawn.
CONCLUSION
In short, the system of agreement of adjectives and nouns in French and Uzbek is fundamentally different. In French, adjectives are grammatically active and agree with the noun in gender and number, while in Uzbek, adjectives are invariable. The results of this comparative study are of theoretical and practical importance for the study of the French language and can be effectively used in the process of language teaching
REFERENCES
1.Grevisse, M. Le Bon Usage. Paris: De Boeck Supérieur, 2016.
2.Bescherelle. La grammaire pour tous. Paris: Hatier, 2015.
3. Rahmatullayev, Sh. Hozirgi o‘zbek adabiy tili. Toshkent: Universitet, 2006.
4. Hojiyev, A. Tilshunoslik terminlarining izohli lug‘ati. Toshkent, 2002.v
Today, global warming is one of the most serious environmental problems facing humanity. In recent years, the increase in Earth’s temperature, the rapid melting of glaciers, and the rise in natural disasters show how serious this problem has become. Many people are interested in what is causing global warming.
The main cause is human activity. Gases released from factories, power plants, and cars pollute the atmosphere. These gases are called greenhouse gases, and they trap heat from the Sun in the Earth’s atmosphere. As a result, the temperature of our planet continues to rise year by year.
Another important factor contributing to global warming is deforestation. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and help clean the air. However, as forests are cut down, the amount of harmful gases increases and the natural balance of the environment is disturbed.
In addition, the increase in waste, excessive use of plastic, and wasting energy also have a negative impact on the environment. People often do not think enough about the consequences of their actions.
In conclusion, the main cause of global warming is humans themselves. However, reducing this problem is also in human hands. If we protect nature, plant more trees, and use energy wisely, we can help prevent global warming. Every small action by each person can lead to big changes.
Yo’ldoshaliyeva Zinnura was born on June 17, 2011, in Rishton district of Fergana region. She is an 8th-grade student at the Fergana branch of the Specialized School named after Muhammad al-Khwarizmi and also serves as the leader of the “Talented” direction in the Rishton District Council of Leaders.
She has actively participated in various educational and intellectual projects, including “Anim Camp,” “Future Founders Online Forum,” “Young Reader” and the regional stage of STEM subjects. Her scientific article was published in the book “Feelings on Paper,” and another article of hers appeared in the “Synchronized Chaos” journal. In addition, she has taken part in many other projects and initiatives, demonstrating strong academic interest and leadership skills.
First of all, published poet and co-editor for this issue, Tao Yucheng, is still hosting a poetry contest, open to all readers of Synchronized Chaos Magazine.
Synchronized Chaos Poetry Contest: We seek short, powerful, imaginative, and strange poetry. While we welcome all forms of free verse and subject matter, we prefer concise work that makes an impact.
Guidelines: Submit up to five poems per person to taoyucheng921129@proton.me. Each poem should not exceed one page (ideally half a page or less). All styles and themes welcome. Deadline for submissions will be in early March.
Prizes: First Place: $50 Second Place: $10, payable via online transfer. One Honorable Mention. Selected finalists will be published in Synchronized Chaos Magazine.
Also, past contributor Alexander Kabishev is seeking international poems of four lines each on the theme of friendship for a global anthology. The anthology, Hyperpoem, will be published by Ukiyoto Press and a presentation of the poem will take place in Dubai in August 2026.
Kabishev says the new vision of the project goes beyond commercial frameworks, aiming to become an international cultural and humanitarian movement, with the ambitious goal of reaching one million participants and a symbolic planned duration of one thousand years.
The focus is on promoting international friendship, respect for the identity of all peoples on Earth, and building bridges of understanding between cultures through poetry and its readers.
Please send poems to Alexander at aleksandar.kabishev@yandex.ru
This month’s issue asks the question, “Who Will We Become?” Submissions address introspection, spiritual searching, and moral and relational development and decision-making.
This issue was co-edited by Yucheng Tao.
Sajid Hussain’s metaphysical, ethereal poetry, rich with classical allusions, reminds us of the steady passage of time.
Jamal Garougar’s New Year reflection emphasizes ritual, spirituality, and the practices of patience and peace. Taylor Dibbert expresses his brief but cogent hope for 2026.
Dr. Jernail S. Anand’s spare poetry illustrates the dissolution of human identity. Bill Tope’s short story reflects on memory and grief through the protagonist’s recollection of his late school classmate. Turkan Ergor considers the depth of emotions that can lie within a person’s interior. Sayani Mukherjee’s poem on dreams lives in the space between waking thought and imaginative vision. Stephen Jarrell Williams offers up a series of childhood and adult dreamlike and poetic memories. Alan Catlin’s poem sequence renders dreams into procedural logic: how fear, guilt, memory, and culture behave when narrative supervision collapses. Priyanka Neogi explores silence itself as a creator and witness in her poetry. Duane Vorhees’ rigorous poetic work interrogates structure: individuality, myth, divinity, agency, culture. Tim Bryant analyzes the creative process and development of craft in Virginia Aronson’s poetic book of writerly biographies, Collateral Damage.
Nurbek Norchayev’s spiritual poetry, translated from English to Uzbek by Nodira Ibrahimova, expresses humility and gratitude to God. Timothee Bordenave’s intimate devotional poetry shares his connection to home and to his work and his feelings of gratitude.
Through corrosive imagery and fractured music, Sungrue Han’s poem rejects sacred authority and reclaims the body as a site of sound, resistance, and memory. Shawn Schooley’s poem operates through liturgical residue: what remains after belief has been rehearsed, delayed, or partially evacuated. Slobodan Durovic’s poem is a high-lyric, baroque lament, drawing from South Slavic oral-poetic density, Biblical rhetoric, and mythic self-abasement.
Melita Mely Ratkovic evokes a mystical union between people, the earth, and the cosmos. Jacques Fleury’s work is rich in sensory detail and conveys a profound yearning for freedom and renewal. The author’s use of imagery—“fall leaf,” “morning dew,” “unfurl my wings”—evokes a vivid sense of life’s beauty and the desire to fully experience it. James Tian speaks to care without possession, love through distance and observation. Mesfakus Salahin’s poem evokes a one-sided love that is somewhat tragic, yet as eternal as the formation of the universe, as Mahbub Alam describes a love struggling to exist in a complicated and wounded world. Kristy Ann Raines sings of a long-term, steady, and gallant love.
Lan Xin evokes and links a personal love with collective care for all of humanity. Ri Hossain expresses his hope for a gentler world by imagining changed fairy tales. Critic Kujtim Hajdari points out the gentle, humane sensibility of Eva Petropoulou Lianou’s poetry. Brian Barbeito’s lyric, understated travel essay passes through a variety of places and memories. Anna Keiko’s short poem shares her wish for a simple life close to nature. Christina Chin revels in nature through sensual, textured haikus.
Doniyorov Shakhzod describes the need for healthy and humane raising of livestock animals. g emil reutter hits us on the nose with cold weather and frigid social attitudes towards the suffering of the poor and working classes. Patricia Doyne lampoons authoritarian tendencies in the American government. Eva Petropoulou Lianou reminds us that we cannot truly enjoy freedom without a moral, peaceful, and just society. Sarvinoz Giyosova brings these types of choices down to a personal level through an allegory about different parts of one person’s psychology.
Dr. Jernail S. Anand critiques societal mores that have shifted to permit hypocrisy and the pursuit of appearances and wealth at all costs. Inomova Kamola Rasuljon qizi highlights the social and medical effects and implications of influenza and its prevention. Sandip Saha’s work provides a mixture of direct critique of policies that exploit people and the environment and more personal narratives of life experiences and kindness. Gustavo Gac-Artigas pays tribute to Renee Nicole Good, recently murdered by law enforcement officers in the USA.
Dr. Ahmed Al-Qaysi expresses his deep and poetic love for a small child. Abduqahhorova Gulhayo shares her tender love for her dedicated and caring father. Qurolboyeva Shoxista Olimboy qizi highlights the connection between strong families and a strong public and national Uzbek culture. Ismoilova Jasmina Shavkatjon qizi’s essay offers a clear, balanced meditation on women in Uzbekistan and elsewhere as both moral architects and active agents of social progress, grounding its argument in universal human values rather than abstraction.
Dilafruz Muhammadjonova and Hilola Khudoyberdiyeva outline the contributions of Bekhbudiy and other Uzbek Jadids, historical leaders who advocated for greater democracy and education. Soibjonova Mohinsa melds the poetic and the academic voices with her essay about the role of love of homeland in Uzbek cultural consciousness. Dildora Xojyazova outlines and showcases historical and tourist sites in Uzbekistan. Zinnura Yuldoshaliyeva explicates the value of studying and understanding history. Rakhmanaliyeva Marjona Bakhodirjon qizi’s essay suggests interactive and playful approaches to primary school education. Uzbek student Ostanaqulov Xojiakba outlines his academic and professional accomplishments.
Aziza Joʻrayeva’s essay discusses the strengths and recent improvements in Uzbekistan’s educational system. Saminjon Khakimov reminds us of the importance of curiosity and continued learning. Uzoqova Gulzoda discusses the importance of literature and continuing education to aspiring professionals. Toychiyeva Madinaxon Sherquzi qizi highlights the value of independent, student-directed educational methods in motivating people to learn. Erkinova Shahrizoda Lazizovna discusses the diverse and complex impacts of social media on young adults.
Alex S. Johnson highlights the creative energy and independence of musician Tairrie B. Murphy. Greg Wallace’s surrealist poetry assembles itself as a bricolage of crafts and objects. Noah Berlatsky’s piece operates almost entirely through phonetic abrasion and semantic sabotage, resisting formal logic and evoking weedy growth. Fiza Amir’s short story highlights the level of history and love a creative artist can have for their materials. Mark Blickley sends up the trailer to his drama Paleo: The Fat-Free Musical. Mark Young’s work is a triptych of linguistic play, consumer absurdity, and newsfeed dread, unified by an intelligence that distrusts nostalgia, coherence, and scale. J.J. Campbell’s poetry’s power comes from the refusal to dress things up, from humor as insulation against pain. On the other end of the emotional spectrum, Taghrid Bou Merhi’s essay offers a lucid, philosophically grounded meditation on laughter as both a humane force and a disruptive instrument, tracing its power to critique, heal, and reform across cultures and histories. Mutaliyeva Umriniso’s story highlights how both anguish and laughter can exist within the same person.
Paul Tristram traces various moods of a creative artist, from elation to irritation, reminding us to follow our own paths. Esonova Malika Zohid qizi’s piece compares e-sports with physical athletics in unadorned writing where convictions emerge with steady confidence. Dr. Perwaiz Shaharyar’s poetry presents simple, defiant lyrics that affirm poetry as an indestructible form of being, embracing joy, exclusion, and madness without apology.
Ozodbek Yarashov urges readers to take action to change and improve their lives. Aziza Xazamova writes to encourage those facing transitions in life. Fazilat Khudoyberdiyeva’s poem asserts that even an ordinary girl can write thoughtful and worthy words.
Botirxonov Faxriyor highlights the value of hard work, even above talent. Taro Hokkyo portrays a woman finding her career and purpose in life.
We hope that this issue assists you, dear readers, in your quest for meaning and purpose.
I heard somewhere the clear book title ‘Silas Marner’ and looked it up. It was a George Eliot book and reading the summary I knew I wanted to read her book someday. It looked like Silas had a difficult go of it but was deepened and maybe even somehow redeemed by his life experiences. I paused, breathed, and meditated, said a prayer of thanks and one of protection as I was travelling that day north.
The Journey to the Place by Winter Waters
I had cleaned off my vehicle and made sure I had washer fluid and gas. I would take my time and go through small towns after the highway, places where people and structures were more, well, few and far between. I knew those types of people, more rugged, honest, more ‘salt of the earth.’ I went and went and sometimes it was a struggle as other folks drive too fast or too slowly and there were transport trucks unintentionally throwing slush all over my own little truck. If I hadn’t filled the washer fluid I don’t know how I would have managed. I eventually I made it to the place by the waters, the place near the northern ferry and the white and grey-blueish ice, the view of the vast lake wind-swept and raw. I never knew if it was a friend or a foe, and maybe that’s because it was complex, and both.
The Lands Reinstated After Colonialism’s Avarice
Looking around, I remembered a place I used to know that had two willow trees and a fine balcony, and in the summer you could sit and hear the birds and view wonderful waters, waters that glistened a bit for the strong sun that travelled by the clear earth having gone through azure skies. But that place was not really any more for me, and I wasn’t there…geographically or in time. I looked around. Many souls seemed to know one another and have a task,- understanding the world and their place in it. Hmmm, I thought, I am a lost soul, like a piece of parchment paper upon the winds or a bird that has lost its flock,- like an outcast wolf, far away from a pack.
The Way Back to the Other Towns
Going back, I imagined aquamarine tropical seas but had to snap out of this and pay attention as the snowstorm had begun. I wanted away then from the rural and back to the south of there, and I went steadily along skipping coffee and food and only eating a cookie I had brought in case I got lightheaded. This all worked, this break in daydreaming and the cookie and the timing. I just made it back to the more populated towns and organized infrastructure before the roads became dangerous,- for when a big storm does descend, it really takes at least twenty-four hours before it’s sorted out again. That’s to allow plowing and salting and the clearing of air and all.
The Trees and Lees and What the Poet Sees
Back safely, I took a bit of a rest and went and got a coffee and bagel. Then I walked by large evergreens and in the snowy fields. I had made it back to where I sort of belonged and took deep breaths and thought of many things such as Silas Marner and George Eliot, of pancakes and diviners and even of Jesus and the Gospels. I walked for longer than I had to, enjoying the outward silence, the fresh air, and the robust and deeply verdant Evergreens…
Brian Michael Barbeito is a Canadian poet and photographer. His most recent work, The Book of Love and Mourning, is his third collection of prose poems and landscape photographs.
