[Excerpt from Fleury’s book: Chain Letter To America: The One Thing You Can Do To End Racism:
A Collection of Essays, Fiction and Poetry Celebrating Multiculturalism
“Coming Home” Photo Art c/o Jacques Fleury
Well, because a fall leaf fell before my feet today I see In serendipity I yearn to live daily, Consider this my soliloquy. To awake to its bounty of unlawful acts of intrepid beauty I yearn to taste the morning dew on my tongue at sunrise, That is to feel again; to unfurl my wings like silver springs And fly again; to sound out sounds yet to be heard; Supposedly it’s all been sounded, Supposedly it’s all been said, But not by me so here I am, like a black-tailed deer prancing on wobbly legs, Trying not to remember that I was once hunted so that I can Imagine a world without hunters; but I do remember and that’s how I got stronger. I yearn to bay at the moon at night but not like a black wolf, But a white swan flouncing on the foamy lake. I want a world of butterflies and rainbows… Yes, I want to have my cliché and eat it too. Poets! Allow me to harangue you: Coveting prizes and publication can consume you! Defy and denounce racism! Confront and contain classism. Confer and celebrate humanism. Pursue the ultimate orgasm! Happiness is accepting the life you see, Be happy and enjoy your journey. My heart has been doused in the dawn of new age reality: Not unlike the reality TV that gave me a place to hide in uncertainty; No one is talking. Everyone is texting. Social media: the new pathway to a social life. We are in a crisis of technological isolation! So technically we are less and less connected And more and more isolated. Caught in the cross fires of neocolonial consumerism, I want to live a life free of materialism, free of egoism; I want to be like Buddha. I want to meditate all day and sleep all night. Keep your dreams alive! I once publicly hid from love; I yearn to love again like the moon tickling the midnight sea; “You are a true Poet, don’t EVER let them take that away from you.” They told me. Now here I am, battered and bruised, my silver wings have dulled By the wear and tear of my new reality: not quite young, not quite old, not quite done; Yet I’ve resolved to flail my silver wings again against the moon lit skies, This time without worry, And come home to my original love Of prose and poetry.
your automatic sleep stampede built on the bifocal
Fractal gladiator carries lugubrious toy rifles
A coffee is a squares pipes
the registering girl flowed streaming wet
rain in the looped army
oceans slowly open child
glittering morphological lining
recorder kept single pudding
palm world powers narcissist module
then stuck dripping steamed gulf
wooden dress could hyphenate
swift blackness the transverse thin for water
circles surged dactyl our dead
cars solids curtains tiny jaguars wanted another explosives
vast software guns arranged someone to the stretched
PERISCOPE
She bumped red suns
crackling white galactic
clicking engines luminous
orange car slammed ink animals
sonorous notifier flaming griffin
simple hand put down porcelain
tingling troops tumbling
The bright inter-spaced creatures
engravings lengthen estuary
tanks ensconce over echo kill
printed lance the white words
leather waterfalls of tranquil light
translucent faded statues
mysterious Indian rays
The few people of ice gods
crazy hyperborean troops
darkened day package
resistant sailor tripped
office burns the air
run in the fine summer Data
imperial curtains shook the machine
The lamp her curling clerks
zinc encircled candle furry with anesthetize threshold
the whipper shut moons
reflection in pinball
dressed eye and clouds
but static torch falling
plastic antique face hid guns
LINCOLN LOOP
A geometrical design drifted past
disconnected hands twinkle
a fold in the flows held a glassine eye
facsimiles of dead space in the disorganized area
in blue time desolation thread broke
a complex flow disconnected the intruding lines
design accident instar horizon
automatic movements of the tiny area
ballerina knew the suspected man
Burning specters like thought wings
a lake that glitters with radioactive fluorescence
something strained almost to breaking
ashes frayed like threads of fabric
the darkness depressed child propellant
blotted minds with metabolic radiocarbon
Sumerians slide down glistening icicles
tropical bomb suddenly formed fish channel
gnomic trouser that first discovered life
THE PROXY INTELLIGENCE
Candied terabyte of meson water
rubbed a couple of skies with
xenon supply paper
submerged thickness of brownstone
partially pulling regrettable friends
Osiris piloted 3 musketeers
scooped bronze hospital ship with frozen stamp
Dixie hook looks with lucrative sugar
Mars girls stay with area 56 in underwater fur
tank curves in noteworthy knees
ultraviolet rainbows over a microwave sea
dispenser of strangeness strikes strontium
sea breakfast gives an inch
analgesic reprisal of quick colonnade
our Goliath buildup uses his plush nightlife
accidentally flattens bobcat
Didn’t rinse sylphs with metallic blood
opening calibration out of vortex aggregate
specters appear in the polar ring
knight clamps nettle out of cubed windows
capacitor crowns tactless morphology
French flags wash beautiful scrimshaw
foobar needs camerawork structures
waterfalls on pirate ship pumping high
FURRY CHILDREN
Someones touch electrified the visiplates
blood and bone only with eyes of iron
this but sparkles and hovers
the fire banister became Egyptian
king of sleep in concession stand
geometric anthem sometimes covers sky
attached flare of sizzling ripples
commandos pierce narrow blind
hands drift in darkness
milky teeth traps tank beneath polar bears
there parted somewhere heroes
Machine looking into small fingerprints
closed uniformity glasses
filing furry children from willows Garbo
small earth fell over the night rays of birds
Little John resplendent in the tiny tools of time
later doom to atoms behind the kangaroo
green against this studded thunder
water patiently wears the edge
stopped dreaming fishes
thought seeps into the very spaces between
pressure zone conceals enormous carved gargoyles
Gregory Wallace has been making art of various kinds for at least 50 years. He was active in the mail art scene in the 80s and participated in international mail art exhibits and correspondence. Mr. Wallace was a founding editor of Oblivion magazine and has published several books of poetry including The Girl With Seven Hands, The Return of the Cyclades, and Exile and Kingdom Come. His artistic activity encompasses poetry, collage, sculpture, assemblage, photography and painting. His work has appeared in Typo, BlazeVox, #Ranger, Synchronized Chaos, and God’s Cruel Joke.
He never stopped working for his family He thought about the happiness of his children He always lived happily and with a smile My dear, gentle, kind lord
He always held my shoulder and kissed me He always prayed for me When I cried, he wiped my tears from my face My lord, he also gave me joy
He never bowed his head when trouble came He looked for an opportunity in every task He always supported his loved ones My dear, sweet-spoken, generous lord
Many people believe that talent is the main reason some individuals succeed while others do not. From a young age, we are taught to admire people who seem naturally gifted — those who learn quickly, perform effortlessly, and stand out without much struggle. Because of this, talent is often seen as the most valuable quality a person can have. However, in real life, talent alone is rarely enough. Hard work plays a far greater role in achieving long-term success.
Talent is only potential. It gives a person a starting advantage, but it does not guarantee progress. Without effort, talent slowly loses its power. A talented individual who does not practice or improve will eventually fall behind someone who is less gifted but more determined. Hard work allows skills to grow, while talent without effort remains unused. Over time, consistency beats natural ability.
Hard work is what turns ordinary ability into real strength. Success comes from repeated practice, patience, and discipline. Whether in sports, academics, or business, the people who reach the highest level are usually the ones who spend the most time improving themselves. They make mistakes, learn from them, and try again. Talent may help at the beginning, but only hard work leads to mastery.
Another reason hard work is more important than talent is that it builds character. Working hard teaches responsibility, self-control, and persistence. Life is full of challenges, and talent alone cannot prepare someone for failure or disappointment. Hardworking people are more likely to stay focused during difficult times because they are used to putting in effort even when results are slow. These qualities are essential for success in the real world.
In addition, the world values effort more than natural ability. Teachers, employers, and leaders look for people who are reliable, motivated, and willing to improve. Talent might impress others at first, but hard work earns trust and respect over time. A person who consistently works hard will continue to grow, while someone who relies only on talent may stop developing.
Failure also shows the importance of hard work. Everyone fails at some point, but hardworking people do not give up easily. They see failure as a lesson rather than an ending. Instead of quitting, they adjust their approach and keep moving forward. Talent alone often fails when determination is required.
This does not mean talent is useless. Talent can be helpful when it is combined with effort. However, if someone must choose between being talented or being hardworking, hard work is the more powerful choice. Effort creates opportunity, while talent without effort is wasted.
In conclusion, talent may help someone start their journey, but hard work is what carries them to success. Hard work builds skill, character, and resilience — qualities that last a lifetime. True success belongs not to those who are simply gifted, but to those who are willing to work for their goals every day.
Author Note
I am Botirxonov Faxriyor, a 7th-grade student at Karshi Presidential School. I enjoy writing essays and exploring ideas related to education, personal growth, and success. In my free time, I enjoy exploring new ideas and technologies, learning programming skills, watching action movies, and going for walk. I spend my weekends with my family. I have recently started writing articles and finding the process both engaging and motivating
