The world seems unable to accommodate your innocent movements
You are holding flowers, jumping and swaying
The cannon covers you with ferocity
You touch the graffiti and turn around the windowsill
Sharp blade blasting threatens your chest
Stripping away your unformed cognition of love
Do you remember the vines planted in your childhood
Do you imagine the expected blooming of flowers
Do you know that your mother also once
Gradually deepening the wait
Waiting for your heart to be opened by love
Share the colors you bring to the world
The cannon fodder will alter the crow painting
Leave behind the gray and white of sorrow and hatred
Filled with sadness that cannot be buried
Remember that the vines are connected deeper into one vein
Continue to hold onto your love
You stand up and try to search for it
Understand that the enemy is the most unworthy existence
You stand up and learn to take steps
Bring true color to the land
Su Yun, 17 years old, is a member of the Chinese Poetry Society and a young poet. His works have been published in more than ten countries. He has published two poetry collections in China, namely Inspiration from All Things and Wisdom and Philosophy, and one in India titled WITH ECSTASY OF MUSINGS IN TRANQUILITY. He has won the Guido Gozzano Orchard Award in Italy, the Special Award for Foreign Writers in the City of Pomezia, and was praised by the organizing committee as the “Craftsman of Chinese Lyric Poetry”. He has also received the “Cuttlefish Bone” Best International Writer Award for those under 25.
La Belle et la Bête – Opera Parallèle (Photo: Stefan Cohen)
La Belle et la Bête
Opera Parallèle
Zellerbach Hall
Berkeley, California
Beast Against Beauty
A review by Christopher Bernard
Over a recent weekend in March, Cal Performances hosted an original production by the local company Opera Parallèle, combining movie and stage, of Philip Glass’s uniquely beautiful conversion of Jean Cocteau’s classic film La Belle et la Bête into a cinematic opera.
The original “Beauty and the Beast” was written by the eighteenth-century French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and appeared in her book La Jeune Américaine, et les Contes marins. The story, set in a romanticized High Renaissance France of François Premier and Diane de Poitiers, was later revised and abridged by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont in the version best known down the generations. The story’s magnetic appeal has never weakened; in the age of toxic masculinity, it has never been, in some ways, more timely.
To say nothing of the aggression inherent in all masculine sexuality: Has there ever been a sensitive young man in love with a beautiful woman who did not, at some time, darkly suspect that, in reality, he was ugly, disgusting, unworthy of either loving or being loved—a beast indeed? Has there ever been a woman who wasn’t afraid at some point of bringing out the beast in the man who claimed he loved her? And, the claims in the fairy tale notwithstanding, how often has it occurred, not that the beast turned into Prince Charming, but that Prince Charming turned into the Beast?
Cocteau’s film, a masterpiece of French surrealism from the middle of the last century, contains some of cinema’s most famous sequences: the line of chandeliers held by disembodied arms protruding from a corridor’s halls, the moving eyes in the faces carved into a mantel above a blazing chimney fire, a pearl necklace turning into a writhing snake in the hands of a wicked sister, the dissolves from beast to human and from human to beast, and Belle’s gliding down a night-time hallway with windblown curtains without apparently stirring a foot, to name only a few.
The original script, itself rich with poetry yet containing enough realism to empower the magic, and Georges Auric’s film score work with these magical images to create a world of consummate fantasy speaking the curious truths poetry is uniquely capable of expressing. Philip Glass’s decision, half a century after the film’s release, to strip out and replace not only the soundtrack and sound design but all the dialogue as well into an immense musical fabric proved to be, not only as provocative as any surrealist gesture, but brilliantly successful and entirely aligned with the soul of the work. Unlike the notorious mustache on the Mona Lisa, Glass’s gambit enhances and even completes the work in a way one can only feel the original artists (with, of course, the possible exception of the silenced M. Auric) would have completely approved. It doesn’t displace the original but provides a perfectly viable alternative.
When I heard about Opera Parallèle’s production, I imagined one of three possibilities: a straight screening of a silent version of the film, with sound provided by live singers and instrumentalists, much like what I was lucky to experience on my first exposure to Glass’s setting. Or it might be an entirely live staging, with a few discreet bows to the film. Or it might be the most interesting but most perilous of the three: a fusion of the film with live action. But if they tried the latter, how would they solve the problem at the heart of any such attempt: how integrate the two without their blundering regularly and clumsily into each other? Because if staging and film weren’t merged into a seamless whole, it could be, indeed would be fatal: the genius of the film would require equal genius, above all in judgment, taste, and tact, in the staging, otherwise it would be in danger of overbalancing, then irretrievably sinking, the performance.
If this third choice were attempted, surely (I thought) the director would realize that film and staging would need to alternate; presenting them both at the same time would have to be generally avoided, for obvious reasons: the audience would not know which one to watch, the staging or the screen (or if two screens were used, which screen?). Staging theater is not like staging a dance or a concert, where multiple strands of movement or sound can be processed by the human mind without what is aptly called brain freeze.
One of the main problems was that some in the audience might resent any attempt to deflect their attention from the brilliance of Cocteau’s film. Concentrating the audience’s focus is, of course, one of any stage director’s primary responsibilities; diffusing attention must be avoided except for brief periods and for reasons that are perfectly clear to the audience as well as emotionally telling, whether dramatic or comic. And deliberately dividing their attention can court disaster.
Alas, this production did not solve the problem described, mostly because it did not seem to realize there was a problem to solve in the first place. The film and the staging stubbornly refused to combine; at times, they even stood in hostile and irreconcilable opposition: the concept for the piece was often at war with the piece’s aesthetic, with frustrating consequences.
Almost all of Cocteau’s film was screened on a darkened wall placed mid-stage as part of the handsomely designed and lit set (kudos to the unnamed set designer). At apparently random moments, live singers, in full costume, walked onstage and, distractingly, more or less imitated what appeared on film. In a few instances the film was paused and the action of the story was given entirely by live singers on stage. These few scenes were the most effective in the performance; effective enough for one to wish there had been more.
To add to the problem of divided attention, there were also a (gratefully) few attempts to screen a second film, which again imitated the action in the Cocteau. The concluding scene of the production abandons Cocteau’s film entirely, replacing it with a shot-by-shot imitation of the film’s famous concluding sequence, this time of the singers we had seen live onstage. If this was meant to bring all of the elements of the performance together in a transcendent conclusion, it was only partly successful.
It is always dangerous to fiddle with a masterpiece once; to fiddle with it twice can be fatal.
Fortunately, the musical elements of the evening came off, for the most part, very well: Hadleigh Adams was in excellent form in multiple roles, including the Beast, as was Chen Kang as Belle. Sophie Delphis did fine double duty as both of the evil sisters, and Aurelien Mangwa was strong-voiced in three well-differentiated roles. Nicole Paiement conducted the small but powerful ensemble, perhaps pressing too hard at times on the volume. The wonderful costumes were designed by Natalie Barshow, and not to be forgotten, given the opulence of the era in which the story takes place, were the hair and makeup designs by Y. Sharon Peng.
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Christopher Bernard is an award-winning novelist and poet. His most recent book is the poetry collection The Beauty of Matter.
Regular contributor Bill Tope has launched a new literary magazine, Topiary, which is now accepting submissions! Please send short stories to billtopiary1950@gmail.com.
In March we will have a presence at the Association of Writing Programs conference in Baltimore which will include a free public offsite reading at Urban Reads on Friday, March 6th at 6 pm. All are welcome to attend!
So far the lineup for our reading, the Audible Browsing Experience, includes Elwin Cotman, Katrina Byrd, Terry Tierney, Terena Bell, Shakespeare Okuni, and our editor, Cristina Deptula. If there’s time, an open mic will follow.
Our Urban Reads bookstore in Baltimore
Our next issue, Mid-March 2026, will come out Sunday March 22nd.
Yucheng Tao announces the winners of his poetry competition, Steve Schwei and Mark DuCharme. We’ve invited both winners to submit their poetry to Synchronized Chaos for everyone to read!
Now, for March’s first issue! This issue, Fingering the Spines, pays homage to our annual in-person reading, the Audible Browsing Experience. It’s a visual metaphor for looking through various titles in a global bookstore or library.
Genevieve Guevara rings in the dynamic energy of the Fire Horse for Chinese New Year.
Jesus Rafael Marcano celebrates the beauty of France, likening the nation to butterflies. Timothee Bordenave honors the beauty and majesty of Christian faith, as shown through Notre Dame. Su Yun’s abstract work reflects a meditative, spiritual sensibility. Soumen Roy describes a physical and mental journey towards spiritual inspiration.
Abdumajidova Zuhroxon Ibrohimjon qizi explores themes of hardship and endurance, destiny, faith, patriotism, and loyalty in Shuhrat’s classic Uzbek novel Oltin Zanglamas. Iroda Ibragimova explores themes of resilience and human dignity through oppression in Shukrullo’s novel Buried Without a Shroud.Bakhtiyorova Zakro Farkhod qizi speaks to the role of the short story in Uzbek literature. Ro’zimatova Madinaxon Sherzod qizi analyzes themes of strength, weakness and humanity in Abdulla Qahhor’s story “Ming bir jon.” Anvarova Mohira Sanjarbek qizi contributes a heartfelt poem from the perspective of Gulchehra, a character in O’lmas Umarbekov’s “Being Human is Hard.”
Azimov Mirsaid draws on Ray Bradbury and traditional Uzbek crafts and hospitality to illustrate the value of human warmth and imperfection. Dr. Jernail Singh Anand urges humanity to look into the words of our past and present writers and philosophers for wisdom in this age of great technological advancement. Dr. Jernail Singh Anand also expresses hope for the continuance of human creativity in the age of artificial intelligence. Daniela Chourio-Soto renders all-too-human morning sleepiness with lively humor. Eva Petropoulou Lianou explores the feelings and inspirations of emerging Greek painter Vivian Daouti.
Author Victoria Chukwuemeka discusses her creative journey towards exploring psychology and the subconscious, becoming deeper and more straightforward in her words. Kassandra Aguilera’s work mourns her speaker’s incompleteness, probing whether we need observers to fully realize ourselves. Ananya S. Guha reflects on distance, separation, and reunion, how roads can both bring us apart and together.
Emeniano Somoza poetically compares creative writing and glassblowing: arts where creators shape, rather than force, their materials. Poet Su Yun collects a set of poems from children at the East-West Public School in Bangalore on the theme of “the power of the pen vs the sword.” Taylor Dibbert’s short piece is almost anti-poetry, suggesting without communicating a metaphor.
Stephen Jarrell Williams’ poetry speaks to the risks and joys of openness to emotion and experience. Komilova Parizod reminds us to make the most of our lives and appreciate the joy around us. Priyanka Neogi urges us to act with wisdom and restraint. Boymirzayeva Dilrabo highlights the importance of motivation and discipline in reaching one’s goals.
Axmedova Gulchiroyxon expresses her tender love and concern for her mother. Nurmurodova Masrura Xurshedovna honors the patient, dedicated, behind-the-scenes love of her father. Gulsanam Sherzod qizi Suyarova explicates the value of friendship and how to be a good friend. Aminova Feruza Oktamjon kizi celebrates the beauty and innocence of young love. Qozoqboyeva Husnida yearns with devotion for her soulmate’s arrival. Mesfakus Salahin falls into a reverie about a fanciful love that exists between his imagination and his memory. Prasanna Kumar Dalai smiles through a delicate and tender love. Joeb expresses his hopes for personal and global love and peace. Lan Xin celebrates transcendent union with all others and the universe, with the world as her homeland, in her fanciful dinner piece. Husanxon Odilov laments a love which he acknowledges will never return. Nicholas Gunther reflects on a high school lost love or friendship through a casual ghazal. Bill Tope and Doug Hawley present an unusual relationship arrangement that seems to make several older people happy. Masharipova Yorqinoy Ravshanbek qizi celebrates the tenderness of a mother’s love. Brian Barbeito’s gentle childlike piece creates a surreal atmosphere rich in memory and care. Orzigul Sharobiddinova Ibragimova versifies her love and longing for her Uzbek homeland.
Zarifaxon Nozimjon Odilova qizi highlights the historical contributions of Uzbek statesman and humanist leader Zahriddin Muhammad Babur. Toshkentboyeva Xumora outlines the contributions of Amir Temur to modern Central Asian statecraft. Poet Lan Xin highlights the wisdom and compassion of Chinese Dongba cultural leader Wan Yilong. Abdusaidova Jasmina explicates themes of spirituality, heritage, and love in Alisher Navoiy’s writing. Abduxalilova Shoxsanamxon Azizbek qizi celebrates the benefits of reading culture for society.
Olimova Marjona Ubaydullayevna celebrates the literary heritage of Zulfiya and her themes of patriotism, women’s dignity, and compassion. Munisa Yo’ldosheva highlights how Zulfiya’s life influenced her works and her contributions to supporting emerging authors. Nozigul Baxshilloyeva discusses emotional and spiritual themes within Zulfiya’s work and how they affect Uzbek readers. Sultonova Shahlo Baxtiyor qizi highlights the literary and cultural influence of Zulfiya’s poetry. Jurayeva Barchinoy does the same, while also highlighting her commitments to education and women’s rights. Nematullayeva Mukhlisa Sherali kizi relates the value of Zulfiya’s work through a narrative story. Gayratova Dilnavo highlights the enduring legacy of Zulfiya’s work, especially what it means for many Uzbek women.
Loki Nounou’s piece dramatizes a woman stripped of her individuality in a toxic marriage, becoming only a vessel to hold others’ dreams. Abigail George probes the maternal and domestic as both sacred and violent, an origin and a wound, along with critiques of colonialism and the power of self-kindness. Manik Chakraborty calls for a natural, spiritual feminine awakening. Asadullo Habibullayev warns of the dangers and social injustices young women can face in Uzbekistan, even when educated, and calls for the younger generation to respect the wisdom of their elders. Eva Petropoulou Lianou urges respect for women and for the roles women play in society, including motherhood. Maxmarajabova Durdona Ismat qizi celebrates the love and care of human mothers and the value of Mother Earth.
Zamira Moldiyeva Bahodirovna analyzes what the nature motifs in Alexander Feinberg’s work reveal about his thoughts on memory and identity. Noah Berlatsky draws on trees to illustrate our shared human heritage, how we connect to each other and hold each other up. Dilafruz Muhammadjonova presents a natural and cultural tour of Uzbekistan’s Andijan province. Suyunova Fotima Oybekovna reminds us of how crucial it is to preserve the environment. O’gabek Mardiyev outlines ways to improve the efficiency of solar power generation. Shavkatova Mohinabonu Oybek qizi urges improvements in Uzbek public transit to encourage tourism as well as benefit ecosystems. Sultonaliyeva Go’zaloy Ilhomjon qizi analyzes the social, cultural, ecological and economic aspects of tourism in Central Asia. Turgunov Jonpolat discusses the ways in which media framing of climate issues affects how people address the problem. Surayyo Nosirova highlights the need for more consistent communication from journalists to the public about climate change in Uzbekistan.
The works of primary school children in China, collected by Su Yun, reflect moments of happiness and ordinary summer fun in nature. Alan Patrick Traynor’s Irish-inspired piece becomes incantatory, mystical, inhabiting littoral and transitional zones at the ocean’s edge. Tea Russo’s spiderweb poem seeks both expansive transcendence and the peace of oblivion, melding into various aspects of nature. Turkan Ergor dreams of the permanence of the ocean’s waves. Eleanor Hill reflects on the calm strength and dignity of a whale, unbothered while creating waves and blowing bubbles. Ri Winters turns to the ocean and its kelp forests as metaphor for the deep, isolating, yet restful morass of depression.
Brian Barbeito sends up a preview of his book Of Love and Mourning,highlighting the original content and the memorials to beloved pets who have passed. Filmmaker Federico Wardal celebrates a film award for a very humane documentary about veterinary care that saved the life of a racehorse. Jerrice J. Baptiste’s piece, accompanied by gentle, colorful artwork, expresses a graceful and natural surrender to death. Sayani Mukherjee’s piece sits between devotion and restlessness, calling the sky a neighbor yet screaming at stars. Mykyta Ryzhykh crafts a fevered love elegy at the edge of war, eros, and annihilation.
Patrick Sweeney sends up a set of index cards from a memory archive. Mark Young’s altered geographies trace the outlines of innocence, memory, and rupture. John Grey’s urban character and landscape pieces show dry, unsentimental grace.
Image c/o Jacques Fleury
Duane Vorhees’ poetry meditates on time’s circularity, embracing contradictions and the past, present, and future. Ibrahim Honjo reflects that one day his home and everything he knows will fade into memory. Christopher Bernard continues exploring hope, ruin, and creative resilience in the second installment of his prose poem “Senor Despair.”
Maja Milojkovic speaks to the implacable ticking of conscience. Mahbub Alam laments the selfishness and wickedness of humanity. James Tian dramatizes the pain of being underestimated, dismissed, and misunderstood. Mark Lipman calls for greater taxes on the wealthy and for economic egalitarianism. Jacques Fleury hoists his commentary on the fragility of modern democracy on the scaffolding of an extended construction metaphor.
Orinboyeva Zarina discusses how to help children psychologically and emotionally navigate their parents’ divorce. Botiriva Odinaxon elevates the teaching profession and calls for professional development and competence in those who educate young children. Nishonboyeva Shahnoza speaks to her wisdom and dedication towards her goal of becoming a preschool teacher.
Kadirova Feruzakhan Abdiyaminova discusses interactive games that could be useful in science education. Oroqova Nargiza outlines the rise of allergies in children and speculates on the causes. Umidjon Hasamov highlights the potential for artificial intelligence in medical diagnostics. Yunusova Sarvigul Siroj qizi highlights the importance of early screening for gastrointestinal cancer. Rajapova Muqaddas Umidbek qizi highlights the structure and function of the circulatory system.
Shohnazarov Shohjaxon highlights the impact of inflation on a nation’s economy and strategies for managing it. Mamadaliyev Kamronbek highlights the need for cybersecurity technology and cautions about cyberattacks as a weapon of war.
Dr. Jernail S. Anand calls out poets and academics whose lofty ideas don’t connect to present-day reality. While we are all capable of flights of fancy, we hope that this issue is grounded in our world and our humanity.
On my friend’s farm, I walk in hay. Stop at the sight of a dove with a broken wing. Its feathers are stained red with blood and eyes sink in their blue sockets fighting to remain open. The sun pierces gray clouds. My fingertips stroke its oat-colored silk beak, throat parched by yellow rays. I sit by the dove in the corner of my world reciting Hafiz’s verse, your separation from God is the hardest work in this world. Just rest. Life sustaining force vanishes. And in the mauve nook of its wings, blood dries becoming darker, the red color of cherries’ flesh in June. My fingertips stroke the plumage of its crown. Both wings collapse in the hay absorbing essence of fluid from veins, arteries and dark chambers. I’m mourning a morning dove. Peace has been stained and the two of us wait for rain to cleanse our souls. My arms open to the drizzle, face in mist. Nature gives a little reprieve then it showers us with grace. My bare legs, and arms spread apart and back rest in the softest nest. A five-pointed star surrender to the universe. How did the dove know to rest its body in hay to take its last breath? In this our home we gather our strength, then hand over the heaviness onto earth’s bed.
Jerrice J Baptiste is a visual artist, poet, author of nine books. Her watercolor drawings on paper have been accepted or forthcoming in Synchronized Chaos, Las Laguna Art Gallery exhibit in California, MER, Spirit Fire Review, Jerry Jazz Musician Magazine. She’s presented her art work at The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY in 2025. She’s been featured as a solo artist at The Mountain Top Library in Tannersville, NY in 2025 & 2026. Her most recent poetry book called Coral in the Diaspora is published by Abode Press in 2024. Her poetry has been published in numerous magazines and journals, Artemis Journal, The Yale Review, Mantis, Kosmos Journal and hundreds of others.
Geneviève Guevara lives in Belgium. She’s a very creative French teacher, poet, novelist, and painter. Writing is very important in her life and she organizes a monthly poetry festival in her hometown of Namur and a bimonthly poetry festival in Paris.
Cybersecurity: the visible consequences of an invisible war
In today’s digital age, humanity has achieved unprecedented convenience. With a single smartphone, we manage our bank accounts, access government services, work remotely, and even consult doctors. Yet behind these conveniences lies an invisible, silent, but dangerous battlefield — cyberspace. And on this battlefield, the struggle never stops.
Digital Trust in Crisis
Cybersecurity is no longer just a concern for programmers or IT specialists. It directly affects the daily lives of every citizen. A weak password, clicking on an unknown link, or carelessly sharing personal information can lead to serious consequences.
Globally, cybercrime is becoming increasingly sophisticated. It is no secret that hacker groups have brought even large corporations to their knees. For example, in 2017, the WannaCry virus shook the world by crippling the systems of thousands of organizations across hundreds of countries. This incident clearly demonstrated how costly negligence in cybersecurity can be.
Cyberwars: a new geopolitical front
Today, competition between states is no longer confined to land, water, or air — it also unfolds in virtual space. Cyberattacks have become tools of political pressure and weapons of economic sabotage.
For instance, the Stuxnet computer worm, discovered in 2010, entered history as one of the first large-scale cyberweapons targeting industrial infrastructure. It proved that a single command typed behind a keyboard can paralyze a factory, a power plant, or even an entire system in the real world.
This raises a simple yet profound question: if no war is officially declared, yet the electricity goes out, banking systems collapse, or data is stolen — what does that signify?
Social Media and Information Security
Cybersecurity is not only a technical issue. It is closely linked to information security. Fake news, manipulation, and data breaches influence public consciousness.
On social media, a single false report can reach millions of users within hours. As a result, trust erodes and social tension rises. Therefore, cybersecurity is not only about protecting servers — it is also about protecting society.
Uzbekistan and the Responsibility of a Digital Future
The digitalization process is rapidly advancing in Uzbekistan as well. E-government services, online payments, and distance learning systems are expanding. This elevates cybersecurity to the level of national security.
Today, from school students to entrepreneurs, everyone must know basic cyber hygiene principles:
Use strong and complex passwords
Enable two-factor authentication
Be cautious of suspicious links and files
Regularly update software and systems
Without a culture of cybersecurity, technological progress itself may become a source of risk.
Conclusion: The Choice Is Ours
Cyberspace is a field of opportunity. But with opportunities come risks. Carelessness in the digital world can cause real-life problems.
So the question is simple: do we use technology consciously, or do we become completely dependent on it?
Cybersecurity is not just an IT issue — it is a matter of collective awareness, culture, and responsibility in modern society. The invisible war has already begun. Victory in it depends on the awareness and responsibility of each of us.
