MIDDAY

Sun, like a white-hot executioner’s block

rises slowly

over the alarmed smooth of the river.

The water seethes

in the iron arteries of the city.

People look in

at the damp eyes of the shops.

A breeze lazily goes through

the multicoloured beads of umbrellas.

The dome of Peter and Paul’s blazes,

like a freshly baked Easter cake.

The last shadows disappear

on the windblown, rough

face of the city,

and the thirst of eternity comes out

on the stone lips of the embankment.

Midday.

I live in it.

Olga Levadnaya, Russian visionary poet, world-famous public figure, Honored Worker of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan, laureate of more than 20 republican, all-Russian, international literary awards, member of republican, Russian and international literary unions, author of 17 books of poetry and prose published in Russian, English, Tatar, Turkish, translated into 14 languages, author of more than 500 publications in magazines, anthologies in Russia and abroad, participant in numerous festivals, conferences, readings, member of the Assembly of the Peoples of the World, Ambassador of Peace, European Poetry, poetry of International Literature ACC Shanghai Huifeng (Shanghai, Huifeng), Department of Arts and Cultures, Plenipotentiary Representative for Culture in Russia of the Republic of Birland (Africa), literary consultant of the Academy of Literature, Science, Technology of Shanxi, the Zhongshan Poets’ Community (China), honorary founding member of the World Day of K. Cavafy (Greece, Egypt), coordinator of the International Literary Festival in Russia “Woman in Literature” (Mexico), creator and director of the International Music and Poetry Festival “Handshake of the Republics”, the Forum-Battle “Tournament of Poets and AI. RR”, the International TeleBridge RR, the International Youth Music and Poetry Competition-Festival “On the Fairytale Shore of Kazanka” based on the works of Olga Levadnaya, artistic director of the Kazan Poetic Theater “Dialogue”.

Rashidova Shohsanam, 1st-year student, Faculty of Philology, DTP

INTRODUCTION

Ancient Greek literature occupies a unique place in the history of human thought. One of its highest peaks is the tragedy “Oedipus Rex” created by Sophocles. This work went far beyond its own era and became a universal masterpiece expressing the struggle between human destiny, will, reason, and fate. “King Oedipus” is not only a treasure of Greek culture but also one of the foundations of world dramaturgy. Aristotle, in his Poetics, considered “Oedipus Rex” the model of a perfect tragedy. This article analyzes the philosophical content of the tragedy “Oedipus Rex”, its dramatic structure, the problem of human destiny, and its significance in world literature.

MAIN PART

The History of Creation and Summary of the Work

Sophocles lived and created in the 5th century BC.

Philosophical Depth

The tragedy explores the complex relationship between fate and human will. Oedipus is intelligent and just, yet he reaches the destiny he wanted to escape. His tragedy is not only external but also internal—his spiritual struggle reveals the limits of human understanding.

Themes of sight and blindness also carry symbolic meaning: the blind prophet Tiresias “sees” the truth, while the physically sighted Oedipus is spiritually “blind.”

—

Dramatic Structure

The play reflects the ideal tragic structure described by Aristotle. Each scene is built on strong dramatic conflict. The Chorus plays the role of the moral voice of society. The language is simple yet rich with symbolism, and the dialogues reveal the characters’ inner worlds.

—

Oedipus – a Symbol of Truth-Seeking

Oedipus becomes a symbol of humanity’s endless desire for truth. Even when the truth is painful, he refuses to run from it. His tragedy is the tragedy of knowledge—the courage to know.

—

Global Significance and Influence

The tragedy greatly influenced world culture and psychology. Freud’s “Oedipus complex” emerged directly from this myth. Existentialist thinkers such as Sartre and Camus, and poet T. S. Eliot, found deep philosophical meaning in the work.

Today the tragedy remains one of the most performed plays in world theatre.

—

CONCLUSION

Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex” is a masterpiece that searches for answers to humanity’s eternal questions. It reveals the conflict between human destiny, reason, belief, and the pursuit of truth. Through the figure of Oedipus, Sophocles invites humanity toward moral responsibility and the courage to know the truth.

—

REFERENCES

1. Sophocles. Oedipus the King (translated from Greek). Tashkent: G‘afur G‘ulom Publishing, 1983.

2. Aristotle. Poetics. Tashkent: Fan Publishing, 1979.

3. Freud, S. Totem and Taboo. Theory of the Oedipus Complex. Moscow: Nauka, 1990.

4. Karimov, N. History of World Literature. Tashkent: National Encyclopedia of Uzbekistan, 2008.

5. Tohliyev, B. Fundamentals of Literary Theory. Tashkent: O‘qituvchi Publishing, 2015.

Rashidova Shohsanam Alisher qizi Denov Tadbirkorlik va pedagogika instituti filalogiya fakulteti 1 -kurs 

second smoke
a signal
of what's to come


overnight flood
what if our tarot reader
was right


storing
life's tragedies
frontal lobe


medical bill my designer stitches


her death a temporary absence


another day another court ruling


mashed potato mountain lightly salted


curled up in the tuba rattler


grand central thalamus


on my plate something absurd


in the buttery beveled eggs


fifth-generation funnel clown


dining table of contents


waiting
for the reply
that never comes


locked up in her mind
how to navigate
polar bears

The Compassion of Kindmouse

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, in a lush green valley at the foot of the Great Mountain, there lived a tiny but very kind little mouse named Kindmouse.

Kindmouse was a caring and affectionate creature who always cherished his friends. Every morning, upon waking, he would greet his neighbors first – the Butterfly, the Frog, the Swallow, and even the Fox.

One day, a severe drought struck the valley. Trees turned yellow, and rivers began to dry up. The animals suffered greatly from thirst. However, Kindmouse had prepared a little water and food in his tiny burrow during the winter.

The Swallow flew over and said, “Oh Kindmouse, my baby is hungry. Could I have a little wheat?”

Without hesitation, Kindmouse shared some of his wheat.

Then the Fox arrived, speaking untruthfully, “I am looking for water for my sick mother. Don’t you need help?”

Even though Kindmouse knew that the Fox had deceived his friends before, he still gave him some water. For Kindmouse believed:

> “When you do good, even if it does not return to you, your heart shines.”

Days passed. One day, dark clouds covered the sky, and finally, rain poured down! Rivers refilled, and the land turned green once more.

The animals were overjoyed and decided to celebrate Kindmouse with a grand festival!

On the day of the celebration, the Swallow gifted him a small vest stitched with gold, and the Butterfly gave him a crown made of flowers. Even the Fox came to apologize, saying, “Now I truly appreciate your friendship.”

From that day on, all the animals in the valley became loving and caring toward one another. They began to celebrate the day it rained every year as “The Day of Kindmouse’s Compassion.”

Abdusaidova Jasmina was born on July 20, 2011, in G‘allaorol district, Jizzakh region. She is the winner of district and regional stages of the competitions “Young Reader”, “Mushoira”, and “Green Light”. Her creative works have been featured in several newspapers and journals, including “Gulxan”, “Tong Yulduzi”, and “G‘allaorol Ovozi”. Additionally, her works have been published in international media such as “Diaspora Times Global” (foreign), “Kenya Times” (Africa), “Synchronized Chaos” (USA), and “Gazeta Destinacioni” (Albania). She is a member of the “Qaqnus” Creative Club.

BOBONOVA ZULFIYA

UNIVERSITY OF INNOVATION TECHNOLOGIES

UZBEKISTAN

For the 34th Dawn of My Homeland

Time passed, and the old wounds slowly healed,
You endured much oppression, many pains concealed.
Every inch of your soil now has flower-beds revealed,
May you ever bloom and prosper, garden and meadow blessed,
My soul is sacrificed for you, my Uzbekistan!

Your snowy peaks embraced the sunlight’s gentle ray,
Because of you, Fitrat and Cholpon’s names were cleared today,
Hearts have found where dreams and hopes can once again stay.
You are the balm for aching hearts, the cure for all distress,
My soul is sacrificed for you, my Uzbekistan!

Your fields drank not water, but my nation’s blood, I deem,
My people, in dark times, lived in sorrow’s endless stream.
My people, who in hope, awaited freedom’s dream.
Oh, my motherland, may your head be safe, hard as stone,
My soul is sacrificed for you, my Uzbekistan!

May your harvest overflow, your blessings never cease,
I would use your sacred herbs to grant my eyesight peace.
I’d kiss your cheek to honor you, but you have no cheek’s release.
May your name be a great epic, in every tongue increased,
My soul is sacrificed for you, my Uzbekistan!

Your brave, courageous son stands with a mountain’s might,
His loyalty to you is an oath of solemn height.
Blessed indeed is he who’s born within your light.
Stay safe forever, oh you ancient Land of Turan,
My soul is sacrificed for you, my Uzbekistan!

Not for nothing are you called the Motherland so dear,
I lived all these years, your sorrows mine to bear.
I’ve not thanked you enough for your bread and salt to share.
Please forgive my faults, whether they were wrong or right,
My soul is sacrificed for you, my Uzbekistan!

Behold today, this wondrous, radiant day has come,
The glorious day your independence was won.
Congratulations on this blessed, triumphant one!
Live for millennia, my free and blooming Gulistan,
My soul is sacrificed for you, my Uzbekistan!

In Beauty

Contemplate its beauty

Through trees big and small

Greens, yellows subject to whim of the wind.

Streams meet rocks

Offering pleasant sound to ears

Facilitating the meditation of spiritualists.

Birds of all species

Traveling from north to south

Create pleasure

For nature lovers.

Life is beautiful

The boat centered among seas

Followed by dolphins in flight

A fascinating sight

For travelers passionate about sea life.

-Roodly Laurore

En Rose

La vie est belle 

Contemplons sa beauté 

À travers les arbres grands et petits 

Verts, jaunes soumis au caprice du vent. 

Les cours d’eau rencontrent les cailloux 

Offrant à l’ouïe un son agréable 

Facilitant la méditation des spiritualistes. 

Les oiseaux de toutes espèces 

Voyageant du nord au sud

Procurent le plaisir 

Aux amants de la nature. 

La vie est belle 

Le bateau au fond des mers 

Suivi par des dauphins en vol d’oiseau 

Un spectacle fascinant 

Aux voyageurs passionnés des poissons. 

-Roodly Laurore

Roodly Laurore was born and raised in Haiti. He is an engineer and poet. His poems, widely published, are included in: Synchronized Chaos; Spirit Fire Review; Welter University of Baltimore; Taos Journal of Poetry; Kosmos Journal; Autism Parenting Magazine; Solstice Literary Magazine; The New Verse News; Jerry Jazz Musician and others. He is the father of two sons.

Jerrice J. Baptiste is an artist poet and author of nine books. She has been published in The Yale Review; Kosmos Journal; The Tulane Review; Eco Theo Review; The Caribbean Writer and many others. Jerrice enjoys playing the role of translator and illustrator. She teaches poetry where she lives in New York!

It starts from Astana… Our country is free and free, A beauty beyond description. Water, gas, and electricity, A truly priceless wealth! Saving and preserving them, Starts from childhood. Our love for everyone, Starts from Astana. We learned to preserve our wealth, From our grandfathers. We learned freedom and purity, From our grandmothers. We are the future of the country, We will justify your trust. For a happy future, We will preserve our wealth!

Farzona Hoshimova Fergana region Margilan city 8th grade student of the Erkin Vohidov creative school