Poetry from Brian Barbeito

where the wild sea is borne 

Lone ship with a long wake out on the ocean. Land in sight, cloudy blue sky.

the wild borne sea, the true salted places w/those sandbanks and even the broken bits of shells are okay, glistening somehow in the dawn, and in the afternoon light. cargo ships on the horizon, like ghosts vessels moving in an etheric ephemeral eternal astral. walking away along the shores there is a place w/bricks and stones where people had a fire, and the dirt roads that curve up to the right just so and long past verdant palm trees and the countenance of the lands, lands rugged and strange, mystical and beautiful, ancient and new that boast of beige sand more plus other indigenous flora and fauna, where the hills look like faces of spirits that don’t have a classification and have never been seen before, where the rains when they descend tell myriad stories and the sun after is a calm and right poem not too long or short, but perfectly accessible then. 

that old path

Palm trees and wild dry grass blown by the wind. Rocky wall to the right, water to the left, dirt pathway in the center.

that old path, new again, the one at the northern most place. how different than other paths, more vast and w/taller trees. there is a long and straight part that is perhaps my favourite. framed by verdant leaves in the summer’s sun and snowy branches along winter’s way whimsical. the path is always right and well. we must go to there again, more often. somehow we waited too long since that last time. oh that old path, where the evergreens grow and the birds wait beyond, where the north mingles with the south insomuch that you can begin to feel hints there of the truth of winds wild and vast lands, of unabridged nature in its season’s cycles wonderfully rugged rural rustic. 

silence and wonder, far and far

Red seeds hanging off a barred tree in the frost and snow.

on the summit of an otherwise wide field banked by a valley on one end and a forest on the other, it had began to snow. I remember that, and at that part there is sumac and apparently there are two kinds in the world and I’m not sure which one it is. it is a thing because it retains its colour like the evergreens, all through the changing seasons. and there was a lower field at the end w/an entrance to where chaga mushrooms sought by many, lived upon old birch trees. if you went in there you had to tread slowly as the path goes winding and up and down and you are then certainly all alone. you have to really respect the land there and it wouldn’t hurt to say a little prayer for safe passage. but it is worth it, full of silence and wonder and atmosphere,- the trees and leaves and earth and little streams are touched by the outside world. what a home for the woodland squirrel and any other thing. even the wind is blocked for the most part. the wind…the wind…the say new December wind that races through fields announcing its story for anyone that would listen. 

sun cloud valley 

Closeup of brown wilting leaves on a tree.

the sun shone through the clouds and married then the floor of the valley where there are hidden but once found, distinct footpaths. who made the paths is not known, but even with the leaves they are still pronounced enough to travel. and the snow. it began snowing then and the clouds and the light and the small breeze cold made for a good scene and sight. what would the winter bring to those lands of birch and sumac, of mushroom and agate, of tall proud evergreen and old fallen leaves? the winter like the spring and summer and fall, is by no means one dimensional, but like a person or country, or like many things, has different aspects. but yes for then,- the sun and the clouds and the light snow and the wind all visited the valley. the valley housing different paths up and down and around,- paths like lines of some larger poem or story. 

Poetry from Nosirova Gavhar

Central Asian teen girl with straight dark long hair, brown eyes, a blue collared shirt and her head in her hand.
Nosirova Gavhar

A wish for young people

You live under a dome
Above the earth in peace
Searching day and night
You want knowledge today.

You are always eager for knowledge

Towards a dream, goal, intention
Looking forward to great things today
Overcome the challenge.

It's a good night even if it's sleepless
Today is your day, even if it goes without rest
One day you will definitely get it
To the bright life you want.

Nosirova Gavhar was born on August 16, 2000 in the city of Shahrisabz, Kashkadarya region of Uzbekistan. Today, she is a third-year student of the Faculty of Philology of the Samarkand State University of Uzbekistan. Being a lover of literature, she is engaged in writing stories and poems. Her creative works have been published in Uzbek and English. In addition, she is a member of «All India Council for Development of Technical Skills», «Juntos por las letras» of Argentina, «2DSA Global Community». Winner of the «Korabl znaniy» and «Talenty Rossii» contests, holder of the international C1 level in the Russian language, Global Education ambassador of Wisdom University and global coordinator of the Iqra Foundation in Uzbekistan. «Magic pen holders» talented young group of Uzbekistan, «Kayva Kishor», «Friendship of people», «Raven Cage», «The Daily Global Nation», Argentina;s «Multi Art-6», Kenya&;s «Serenity: A compilation of art and literature by women» contains creative works in the magazine and anthology of poets and writers.





Essay from Dildora Toshtemirova

Central Asian teen girl with long dark hair behind her head, a ruffly white blouse, and a long black skirt standing in front of a door decorated by holiday garlands reading 2024.

Dreams will definitely come true

You can always achieve your dreams. You just have to believe and act. It’s true that sometimes you get depressed, things may not seem like it, but your efforts will pay off one day. You just have to sincerely believe in dreams.

I also have many dreams and I am gradually achieving these dreams.

 You know, many years ago, when I was 6 or 7 years old, my parents used to take us to many festivals and theaters, and I was envious of those who participated in the festival or those who acted on stage. I used to say to myself that I wish I could go to the stage and take part in the celebrations. I dreamed of being like them, thinking that maybe I would be like them when I grow up. I had forgotten this dream of mine. But when I was young, I was so envious that I was able to play a role in the theater at the age of 14 and at the age of 15 to perform on the big stage at the festival. After a long time, I achieved my dream. True, some people may say that this is both a job and a dream, but I am very happy that I have achieved my dream from my youth and I once again believed that if a person really wants something, that dream will come true. Your dream may not come true when you want it, but your dream may come true at an unexpected time.

Believe in your dreams and keep moving. Because you can’t make dreams come true.

Toshtemirova Dildora Hakim qizi. She was born on October 9, 2008. A lot has been achieved so far. Here articles and poems have been published in many newspapers and magazines. Member of many organizations. She is the holder of an international certificate.

Poetry from Ubali Ibrahim Hashimu and Maryam Yakubu

HEARTS ETERNAL DREAM 


Tell me again, how do I stop myself?

From savouring the bliss of your warm body,

That quenched my heart with everlasting affection, 

And it made me sense the warmth of your breath.


Having you my side is what I dreamt of,

Your embrace fills me with joy I can't name,

Your warmth, a home to strength & hope in this life,

Losing it to me would be a cruel, painful game.


I never dreamt of having you as a partner,

But when you now appear in reality,

All flowers bloom, and I pray to live with you,

Until the sun kisses the star & the moon begun to cry.


I never thought I'd meet someone like you,

But now I know this love is strong and true,

You are the one who makes my heart sing,

Even when the world is filled with fear and strife, 

I will be yours forever, my king.


Ubali Ibrahim and Maryam Yakubu

Poetry from J.J. Campbell

Middle aged white man with a beard standing in a bedroom with posters on the walls
J.J. Campbell

-------------------------------------------------------
simpatico
 

the soft brown skin

 

all the inside jokes

 

no one understands

us

 

it shouldn't work

 

love shouldn't be

anywhere near

whatever this is

 

but i see the look

in your eyes

 

simpatico

 

fuck the world

 

stack all the fucking

decks against us

 

we will break them

all down with glee

 

with love

 

with a never-ending

sense of what is right

 

i lick the honey off

of your finger and kiss

you with all of what i

have left to give

 

everything doesn't

do it justice

 

rescued an old soul

from the bitter edge

 

hopefully now,

we jump together
------------------------------------------------------
if we could get away with it
 

i remember being on vacation

with the family and my father

got us lost while hiking in

the great smoky mountains

 

it might have been the first time

i ever thought i wonder if we killed

him here if we could get away with it

 

trust me, it wasn't the last

 

as the dysfunction grew, the vacations

became crazier and crazier

 

eventually, i was driving and the

thought became a notion that i

actually had a say in

 

never did kill him

 

but i sure was a happy motherfucker

when he did die

 

i'm sure his family reads these poems

 

part of me wonders if they ever

understood the monster he became

 

the other part of me is pretty

damn sure they don't care

 

which is fine

 

not everyone is cut out

for the family life

 

one of the genes my father

has passed along to me
----------------------------------------------------------
like a beautiful woman
 

i treat my pain like

a beautiful woman

 

it will kill me and

it is a race to see

who gets there first

 

i'm just a bystander

along for the ride

 

sometimes, i even

get to participate

 

the pills never seem

to work but jack daniels

is always in my corner

 

every once in a while

i'd love for that beautiful

woman to grab the shotgun

in the corner and use me as

target practice

 

somewhere, burroughs is

shining up an apple

 

a soft embrace

on a sweaty night

 

two lost lovers

trying to make up

for all the moments

that have escaped

 

along the way, the pain

became love and love

will kill us all
--------------------------------------------------
the endless temptation
 

hopelessly devoted to

the last beautiful soul

i ever want to know

 

longing for that kiss

 

the look of desire

 

the endless temptation

on the tip of her tongue

 

dancing under a full moon

 

the autumn crisp in the air

 

she whispers i love you

into my ear

 

my heart starts to skip

a beat

 

if i'm lucky

i'll die in her arms

 

before either of us get

a chance to ruin the

moment
--------------------------------------------------
mister right now
 

remember the one that gave

you the stevie nicks vibes?

 

the one that you had the

most sexual chemistry

with

 

i was only mister right

now for her

 

she never was going to settle

for anything less than forever,

with whom she is still with

 

welcome to the other side

of the coin

 

where you are nobody's forever,

at least anymore

 

hell, mister right now hasn't

seen the light of day for years

now

 

there comes a time when you

can't deny how much reality

fucking sucks sometimes

 

losers are the glue of society

 

you remember writing that

a lifetime ago?

 

sure, still believe it

 

still understand my place

in it all

 

more people die alone than

you happen to read about

in the newspapers



J.J. Campbell (1976 - ?) is slowly wasting away in the suburbs, drinking away the pain from arthritis. He's been widely published over the years, most recently at The Asylum Floor, Horror Sleaze Trash, The Rye Whiskey Review, Horror Sleaze Trash Quarterly and The Beatnik Cowboy. You can find him most days on his mildly entertaining blog, evil delights. (https://evildelights.blogspot.com)