Like a Single Word

The sky and the earth are the lips of eternity.

There,

we live like a single word.

Like a ring worn without knowing

whose hand placed it,

people live, fitted into the world.

Today,

I do not know where I am.

Just standing—

Hands engraving handprints, 

feet engraving footprints.

Life is finding a path in the void.

Birds know

that the void is eternity.

Living is the breaking of one boundary after another.

Life grows colder as it goes on.

The time they wrote

abandons them in the end.

On a spring day when cherry blossoms befriend the wind,

mountain-like buildings,

valley-like alleys,

water-like people.

People, worn by strangeness,

save it sparingly, fearing they might grow used to it.

An angel slips between their lips,

and they take out a single smile.

한 마디 말처럼

하늘과 땅은 영원의 입술

거기,

한 마디 말처럼 우리는 산다

누구의 손에 끼웠는지 

모르고 사는 반지처럼

세상에 끼워 사는 사람들

오늘은 

어디 있는지 몰라

그냥 서 있는 곳

손으론 손자국 판화

발로는 발자국 판화

삶은 허공에서 길 찿기

새들은 안다

허공이 영원이라는 걸

사는 건 경계가 경계를 허무는 것

목숨은 갈수록 쌀쌀한 남

그들이 쓴 시간이 그들을 버린다

벚꽃이 벗하는 봄날

산 같은 빌딩

계곡 같은 골목

물 같은 사람들

사람들은 낯섦이 닳아

익숙해질까 봐 아껴 쓰고 있다

입에 드나드는 천사

웃음 하나 꺼내 본다

Poet Siyoung Doung graduated from the Department of Korean Language and Literature at Dongguk University and went on to earn a Ph.D. in Korean Language and Literature from Hanyang University. She further expanded her academic pursuits by studying humanities at Regensburg University in Germany. Her teaching career includes positions as a professor at Korea Tourism University and Jilin University of Finance and Economics in China.

Her literary journey began in 2003 with her poetry debut in the literary magazine Dacheung. Since then, she has published numerous poetry collections, including Future Hunting, In Search of a Strange God, The Phone Call from God, The Eyes of November, The Carnival of Time (Anthology), Was It You, Was It Me, or Was It Longing?, The Scent of Secrets, Aria of Everyday Life, The River Flowing Under the Pen, The Magic Letters, and The Horizon Never Gets Wet. In addition to poetry, Doung has contributed significantly to literary research with works such as Roh Cheon-myung’s Poetry and Semiotics, Korean Literature and Semiotics, and Semiotics of Modern Poetry. Her exploration of literature extends into travel writing, with essay collections like Encountering Culture Through Travel and Encountering Travel Through Literature. Her literary excellence has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including the Park Hwa-mok Literary Award (2010), Poetry and Poetics Young Poet Award (2011), the Grand Prize at the Korean Buddhist Literature Awards (2018), the 32nd Dongguk Literary Award (2019), the Yeongrang Literary Award for Criticism (2020), and the 7th Woltan Park Jong-hwa Literary Award by the Korean Writers’ Association (2021). Most recently, she received the Literary Youth Work Award in 2024. In recognition of her contributions to literature, She was also a recipient of a creative grant from the Arts Council Korea in 2005.

Myself

Me is my strength, 

I have no weakness. 

I’m a number one fan of myself, 

I’m the first advocate for myself. 

I’m the best well wisher for myself. 

I’m one crore soulder for me. 

I have determination for me.

Amb. Dr. Priyanka Neogi is from Coochbehar. She is an administrative controller of United Nations’ PAF, a librarian, a CEO of Lio Messi International Property & Land Consultancy, international literacy worker, sports & peace promoter, dancer, singer, reciter, live telecaster, writer, editor, researcher, literary journalist, host, beauty queen, international co-ordinator of the Vijay Mission of Community Welfare Foundation of India.

REGRET

My heart has filled with endless regrets,

Even my tears have washed away my pains.

I try to forget, counting passing years,

Yet look—half a heart still beats within my chest.

The winds have scattered all my sorrows wide,

How cruelly you have treated love—what a sin.

My aching heart is torn into pieces inside,

Yet look—half a heart still lives within.

They promised love, but all their vows were lies,

They fooled a simple girl with burning dreams.

Only when hearts were wounded did they realize,

Yet look—half a heart remains, it seems.

Do‘sanova Dilnoza Xolmurod qizi was born on June 21, 2006, in Xalqobod, Qiziriq district, Surkhandarya region. She is of Uzbek nationality.

In 2013, she was admitted to the 1st grade of School No. 25 in Qiziriq district, Surkhandarya region. During the 2021–2022 academic years, she studied at a specialized boarding school for in-depth study of selected subjects in Qiziriq district.

In 2024, she graduated from School No. 25 with excellent grades. In the same year, she was admitted as a first-year student to the Faculty of Philology and Language Teaching (Uzbek language, part-time program) at Renaissance Educational University in Tashkent. Currently, she is a second-year student.

Also in 2024, she began working as the head of the Mother Tongue and Literature club at the “Kelajak” center in Qiziriq district, Surkhandarya region. She is a beloved teacher of more than 60 students.

Since 2019, she has been engaged in writing poetry. As a result, she has achieved honorable places in many competitions. The number of her diplomas and national (and international) certificates exceeds 100.

Mama

 Mother is the doctor for any sickness 

Mama is the country that everyone loves

without conquering

 Mama is joy and sorrow Mama the power

Mama the forgiveness 

One word was created by God To forgive people

 Say it every day

 Call her if they put chains on you

To sweeten it the wound

To bring peace

My mom, you’re unique

 You never told them you were upset…

With gold I will cherish you 

Chosen person 

 I crown you, My mother

 My sun

My compass

Ελληνικα 

……

Μαμά

 Η μητέρα είναι ο γιατρός για κάθε ασθένεια, Η μαμά είναι η χώρα που όλοι αγαπούν, χωρίς να προσπαθούν, να την κατακτήσουν.

Η μαμά είναι χαρά και λύπη

 Μαμά η δύναμη,

Μαμά η συγχώρεση

Μια λέξη που δημιουργήθηκε από τον Θεό για Να συγχωρήσει τους ανθρώπους.

Πείτε αυτή τη λέξη κάθε μέρα..

Φώναξέ την, αν σε δέσουν με  αλυσίδες.

Θα έρθει για να σου γλυκάνει την πληγή

Να φέρεις την ειρήνη Μαμά μου, εσύ είσαι μοναδική..

Δεν τους είπες ποτέ ότι στενοχωρήθηκες … Με χρυσό θα σε λατρέψω

Σε στεφανώνω, μητέρα μου

Ήλιε μου, 

πυξίδα μου.. 

©  Εύα Πετροπούλου Λιανού

IT’S NOT US, IT’S YOU

America’s neighbors to the north think the U.S. is a bigger

threat to world peace than Russia.” — Politico Poll, 2/19/26

The poll was bleak. Canadians now see

the U.S., the whole country, in decline. 

They look at Trump. “You knew what he was like,”

they say. “His COVID lies, his insurrection…

Then, even after multiple convictions,

your voters chose him for a second term.”

So Trump’s a symptom of a point of view

that’s traded decency for short-term gains.

Voters thought his policies would hurt

others, not themselves. When prices rose

for food, for health care, gas;  when ICE showed up

and nabbed their neighbors, fired on citizens;

when Trump was named in Epstein’s steamy files—

there’s shock! Some mea culpas. Not revolt. 

Usurping roles of Congress and Supreme Court;

unleashing armies on his enemies–

abroad, at home, at whim; building mass jails—

we all can see what’s coming. Who rebels?

Who demands we take back ownership

from Trump’s sly puppeteers? Who rises up

and thunders, “No! You can’t seize Canada”? 

Too many shrug—and watch democracy

dismantled, step by step. A nation weak

and rotting from within. Self-serving. Blind. 

Incapable of ousting a bad leader

because a full third of the country’s voters

still see him as der fuhrer, cheer him on. 

The whole world’s watching– tense, on edge, dismayed—

knowing that the USA’s demise

will shake world order to its very core.

When did democracy stop working? Why?
Copyright 3/2026           Patricia Doyne

LEAP BEFORE YOU LOOK 

The PresIdent turns the faucet handle–

lives spill out—foot soldiers, disposable. 

A steady flow go down the drain, vanish into earth.

War powers: bullying with bombs and bombast! 

But now the public’s questioning his judgement.

He thought a show of force would faze Iran.

Heavy missile strikes, dead Ayatollah–

Then take a break to play a game of golf, 

post tweets, chastise reporters. 

Threaten more bombs– watch Iran cave in,

and offer oil deals just to make us stop.

What? It didn’t work?  Recalculate.

Iran’s new leader’s eager for revenge.

NATO allies roll their eyes, won’t help

to make the Strait of Hormuz safe again. 

At home, redacted names swirl in a cloud

above the Epstein mess—those damning files. 

In Congress, stooges get cold feet, have doubts.

The price of gas out-gouges groceries. 

MAGA support is springing leaks. Some flip.

So look ahead. Secure the next elections! 

Design a bill to save Republicans.

Get rid of libs– those whose married names

don’t match birth certificates, or passports.

There go problem voters down the drain–

along with mail-in ballots.  It’s a win!

Don’t let oil dependency derail you.

Promise to fix everything.  Blame windmills. 

Blame Obama, immigrants, and “woke.” 

Prevent networks from airing wartime news,

but flex expensive military muscle. 

Raise those sagging polls. Impress the world–

Lie by lie.

Threat by threat.

Bomb by bomb. Copyright 3/2026               Patricia Doyne

Blue Butterfly

“The sky and the earth are my coffin, and the sun, moon, and stars are my burial gifts”

Zhuangzi once said.

I envied him.

I envied the silkworm

that sheds its stiff cocoon of flesh

to become a butterfly of the soul.

I envied Kübler-Ross,★

who cared for dying children,

carrying a plush caterpillar that, when flipped,

transformed into a butterfly,

a small miracle for her young patients.

But what moved me even more

was the final moment of her own funeral—

her children opening a small box before the coffin,

releasing butterflies into the air.

And when the mourners opened their envelopes,

blue butterflies fluttered out,

rising toward the sky.

What are we to do with such beauty?

★ Elisabeth Kübler-Ross: Swiss-born psychiatrist and world-renowned authority on thanatology (the study of death and dying).

파란나비

“하늘과 땅이 관이고 해, 달, 별이

나의 순장품이다” 라던 장자가

나는 부러웠습니다

그 딱딱한 육신의 고치를 벗고

영혼의 나비가 되는 누에가 

나는 참 부러웠습니다.

임종을 앞 둔 어린이들을 돌 본

퀴블러 로스★

뒤집으면 나비로 변하는 애벌레 인형을

가지고 다니며 어린 환자들에게 보여 주던

그가 

나는 참말 부러웠습니다.

더 기막힌 것은,

자신의 장례식의 절정을

그의 자녀가 관 앞에서 작은 상자를 열어

나비가 날아가게 한 것

조문객들이 미리 받은 봉투를 열자

봉투에서 파란나비가 나와

공중으로 날아 갔대잖아요

이 일을 어쩌면 좋아요

★「퀴블러 로스」 스위스 태생의 정신과 의사, 생사학의 세계적인 권위자

Poet Ms. Im Sol Nae received the Newcomer Award from the monthly literary magazine Jayu Munhak in 1999. Her poetry collections include The QR Code of a Leaf, Amazon, That Transit Station, The Cry of an Awakened Amazon, Hong Nyeo, and many others. She has also received numerous literary honors, including the Yeongnang Poetry Award, the Korean Literary Critics Association Award, the Korean Lyric Poetry Award, selection as a Sejong Excellent Book, the Poet’s Poet Award, and the Buddhist Literary Writers’ Award.

BETWEEN TRUTH AND LIFE 

Like a joke 

Dreamy 

It was a dream 

It was like a tale 

It was looking beautiful while lie 

It was giving sorrow while real 

Actually People was living 

Between truth and lie.

Türkan Ergör, Sociologist, Philosopher, Writer, Poet, Art Photography Model. Türkan Ergör was born 19 March 1975 in the city of Çanakkale, Türkiye. She was selected International “Best Poet 2020”. She was selected International “Best Poet, Author/Writer 2021”. She was selected International “Best Poet, Writer/Author 2022”. She was awarded the FIRST PRIZE FOR THE OUTSTANDING AUTHOR IN 2022. She was awarded the 2023 “Zheng Nian Cup” “National Literary First Prize” by Beijing Awareness Literature Museum. She was awarded the “Certificate of Honor and Appreciation” and “Crimean Badge” by İSMAİL GASPRİNSKİY SCIENCE AND ART ACADEMY. She was awarded the “14k Gold Pen Award” by ESCRITORES SIN FRONTERAS ORGANIZACIÓN INTERNACIONAL.