Sea 

The long and wide sea, full of mystery and magic and danger amidst its beauty. Great is its countenance. Maybe nobody described it such as Joseph Conrad. The sometimes-dark sea, saturnine and rueful. Sea. Ocean. The sands in the shores. All linked together. The world of the water. Vessels. Imagine the coral and the fish, sharks and whales, or the shipwrecks and sunken treasures perhaps ghosts, the phantoms of the depths and saltwater, roam with no need of breathing apparatus. Go and look spirit…pirate first mate captain mere honest passenger who paid their way and was so innocent and unassuming. What millions of secrets still?- UFO bases? Airplanes never found. Unknown species. Sea sea sea. Stories of the sea. Wild. Ocean. To wander its shores and think of it all. 

Soul

My mind is dawning upon your words

I seek for gems and rubies around the world,

the mystic lives on across the soiled shore

The hydrangeas are beckoning me

Full of fragrance sweet across continents

The blue eyes of your soul marks my heart

It is a whirlwind of romance for your name

You gave me thousand indigo winters

Now I live among them

Blues are my guitar and strings

you play the victim of circumstances

Each morning I pray upon God’s soul

My forever escape into your fantasy realm

I read reality with kindness

The heavy fall rain of June summons me

I am with my child, a mere sunset

I write this verse with my dignity.

Protocol

The night is starry like heaven

A hibiscus flower upfront

The city is painted red

The crimson is tantalizing

My hands up on the mirror

It sends a signal off

To be in God’s arms with happiness

Pluralism over this city

Protest of feminists and prototype

My verge is on the Bloomsbury gate

The gaze is on the death

Of rebirthing  vocals of masquerade

Martyrdom of heavenly speech

They take your breaths away

Till you pass on the hellfire

To public transport and health issues

The protocol is current

It sends off the heavenly bodies.

Announcing that contributor Michael Steffen has a new book out, I Saw My Life.

About I Saw My Life: From the saying “I saw my life flash before my eyes”, the book’s title announces thresholds, things and moments of arrest and luminosity, resplendent, but also shocking as a near-death experience might be, and fleeting as any flash may be. The stars in their constellations at night glimpsed up through leaves of a tree, the drama of a scull tipped in a powerful mid-river current, a woven shopping handbag, such objects in their places and handling evoke the weights and sensations revisiting the body in reflective memory, at the heart of poetry’s deeply personal yet widely shared and recognized expressions.

It’s available for review from Lily Poetry Review’s press.

This month’s issue rides high on a wave, surging towards us with a theme of Fluidity.

Some contributors literally speak of water. Eva Lianou Petropoulou personifies the creatures of the sea as she calls for an end to litter and pollution. Xoʻjyozova Dildora discusses environmental damage to the Aral Sea and efforts to restore the ecosystem. Elaine Murray celebrates the wonder of the ocean, wishing to become a mermaid. Brian Barbeito recollects being stung by a jellyfish, resting, and turning out okay in time, comforted by natural and literary beauty. Later, he celebrates the seafaring-inspired writing of Joseph Conrad.

Others address different aspects of life that can feel fluid, such as light and vast open landscapes. Juan Vadillo’s review describes Beatriz Saavedra Gastélum’s poetry collection, “Lucid Breath of Light,” as a journey exploring light in its various forms, memories, and transformations. Mesfakus Salahin immerses himself into nature and creativity. Stephen Jarrell Williams’ serene piece evokes a feeling of gentle tranquility. JoyAnne O’Donnell meditates on a pleasant afternoon outside in a meadow. Sheikha A.’s short, lyrical pieces use vivid imagery and concise language to evoke a range of natural and serene scenes. Sayani Mukherjee celebrates the beauty and splendor of an outdoor festival. Yee Leonsoo’s poems use extreme natural places (a salt desert and a deep-sea sinkhole) to explore identity, memory, and the feeling of in-between-ness. Mark Young’s geographies creatively mutate random regions of Australia into works of art.

We can also perceive time as more fluid than linear. Chuck Taylor explores the idea of the “now” and how it can be captured in words, considering the brief moments between perception and recording. Barbaros İrdelmen’s pieces intertwine ordinary images with themes of love and loss to explore how human connection, memory, and longing persist within and against time’s flow. Kareem Abdullah speaks of love, longing, and memory. Mustafa Abdulmalek Al-Sumaidi reminds us that we are all mortal. Abdel Iatif Moubarak renders up a tale of a singer’s faded glory still piercing the darkness of night.

One’s personality and attitudes also morph and shift over the years. Sevara Matnazarova outlines how her personality and outlook on life changed as she grew older. Susie Gharib’s work addresses authenticity, self-expression, and a desire for a more compassionate and peaceful existence. John Grey’s work explores vulnerability and resilience within the human (and natural) experience. Elisa Mascia’s pieces draw upon changeable natural phenomena such as wind and butterflies to dramatize introspective and emotive explorations of love, loss, and transformation. Yeon Myung-ji’s poem uses the act of shelling beans as a rich metaphor for introspection, resilience, and the quiet, often overlooked, processes of life and growth. Duane Vorhees’ poems explore themes of love, identity, and transformation, often blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. Nattie O’ Sheggzy delves into the complexities of simple things and searches for meaning, beauty, and authenticity in a chaotic and often dissonant world.

A whole set of poems by Niall McGrath explore themes of memory, identity, social commentary, and personal struggle, often set against the backdrop of Northern Ireland. Poet Michael Todd Steffen, interviewed by Cristina Deptula about his new book I Saw My Life, explores the intersection of personal and historical memories, identity, and mortality, aiming to inspire reflection, acceptance, and a deeper appreciation for the world around us. Lan Xin highlights how holding space for wonder and gratitude can enhance our daily lives. Kandy Fontaine’s piece mixes theater and prose, celebrating artist Tricia Warden and the intersection of art, literature, and identity, particularly in the context of feminist and queer perspectives.  Christopher Bernard kicks off the next installment of his children’s story Otherwise, a mixture of cultural thought, suspense and middle-grade energy. Tanja Vučićević describes a personal journey, both physically and emotionally, as they navigate through challenges and seek solace and salvation.

Writing can play a part in personal reflection and development. J.J. Campbell uses poetry to process his own experiences and emotions and to comment on the human condition. Yongbo Ma’s poems are reflective and introspective, exploring themes of isolation, disconnection, and the search for meaning. Manik Chakraborty wakes us up with the graceful hope of a new morning and continues to seek artistic inspiration despite abandonment from a muse. Ryan Quinn Flanagan probes ordinary life with a poet’s eye, considering the significance of even mundane objects. Jacques Fleury uses rich imagery and references to mythology and literature to highlight the owl’s dualistic nature, embodying both positive and foreboding qualities. Ananya Guha creates a place where a moment of fear and the stories told about it later blend together into a lasting personal myth, half memory, half ghost story. High school English student Reilley Andre expresses a mature perspective on life, pointing out how different people see matters from various points of view, expressing grief, and showing gratitude for his caring sister.

Some love can remain steady amid the flow of time. Gulsanam Mamasiddiqova offers up words of respect and love for her father. Mubina Botirova expresses her love and gratitude for her mother. Tursunova Mehrinoz Oybek qizi pays respect to her mother’s dedication and kindness. Gulchiroy Axmedova expresses tender sentiments of motherly care. Afrose S. celebrates childhood and urges people to protect children. Prasanna Kumar Dalai evokes the tenderness and fragility of early love. Anwer Ghani depicts a steady, tender, and elegant love. Anindya Paul speaks to a profound and intimate romantic devotion that lingers after death. Daniela Chourio-Soto expresses nostalgia through the means of scent. Yongbo Ma’s playful work also encompasses themes of love and human romantic connection.

Of course, not all love stories end happily, and loss is a part of the human condition. Leon Drake’s poems of heavy nostalgia mourn words left unspoken and relationships left unexplored. Donna Dallas speaks of trauma, monstrosity, addiction, and toxic relationships. Kassandra Aguilera’s fragmented poem explores the intoxicating and often painful dynamics of infatuation. On a broader scale, Milena Pčinjski laments the weight of a troubled world, all that could be and all that will never be. Yet, vulnerability is not necessarily weakness, but a prerequisite for change and growth.

Love and caring can also encompass more than one’s own inner circle. Several contributors discuss the fluid state of societal and international relations and advocate for peace and justice. Alan Catlin’s work highlights the human cost of war and its echoes in art and the human soul. Abigail George’s melancholic, reflective poems mourn destruction in Gaza and a personal loss. Shlok Pandey’s fictional story is a poignant portrayal of the human experience during wartime. David Kokoette describes age-old power dynamics and struggles. Mark Wyatt’s fragmented pattern poetry calls out the atrocities made possible by unquestioning obedience to religious and political dictates. Patricia Doyne mocks Donald Trump’s pursuit of grandeur as Bill Tope presents another satirical take on Trump’s proposed arch. Staci Modisette reminds us to protect ourselves while speaking up for peace and justice. Eva Lianou Petropoulou’s gentle words are set to ethereal vocals and a drifting background melody, with an encore here. Аshurоvа Dinоrа Аnvаrqul qizi outlines the role of Uzbekistan’s National Center for Human Rights.

Cultural and world history might seem static, but it can also be fluid in the sense that we remember it differently, or remember different aspects of it, over time. What and how we remember can have repercussions in the present. Lan Anh, a Vietnamese economics student in Germany, illustrates the intricate web of relationships between nations, economies, and people, highlighting the invisible boundaries that connect and impact lives in unseen ways. Muhammadyusuf Kozimjonov outlines the historical and cultural development of Uzbekistan. Joseph Ogbonna revels in the intriguing cultural and political history of the island of Corsica. Nozima Gofurova describes the cultural treasures she saw during her tour of Uzbekistan’s Center for Islamic Education. Jernail S. Anand encourages us to look to wise examples from history to create the world we would like to see.

Tasneem Hossain celebrates the richness of the world’s heritage of dance. Federico Wardal highlights an upcoming star-studded event in Rome celebrating Dante Aligheri which will be attended by cinema and theater luminaries. Yatti Sadelli reviews Dr. Bashir Issa Al-Shirawi’s poetry, highlighting his theme of the inner strength and resilience of the world’s women.

Language and literature are part of world culture as well as a bridge among various cultures. Nozimova Shukrona highlights the value and importance of reading as a way to learn and participate in global thought. Jernail S. Anand urges readers to nourish our minds as well as our bodies, with a well-chosen and varied diet. Tursunaliyeva Zilolaxon celebrates the value of books, literature and libraries. Joseph Nechvatal’s review of Rus Khomutoff’s poem “Kaos Karma” examines the work as an abstract machine that combines literature and chaos magick philosophy, exploring themes of multiplicity, singularity, and the relationship between poetry and passion. Yulduz Kurbоnоvа explores how courtesies embedded in the Uzbek language can get lost in translation to other tongues. Delo Isulfi pays tribute to Rohini Kumar Behera, reflecting on his poetry, highlighting Behera’s themes of peace, gratitude, and nature, and how they convey a sense of spirituality and universality.

Education serves as a vital site where tradition and innovation meet—a place where societies negotiate fluid continuity and change. Many contributors discuss best practices for teaching language and other subjects in school. Subanova Dilafruz discusses audio aids for young language learners. Charos Mansurova discusses the phenomenon of English “loan-words” in Korean. Azimova Nilufar Egamberdiyevna compares word structures in English and Uzbek. Pardayeva Yulduz outlines methods of English-Uzbek idiom translation. Abduraufova Nilufar Khurshidjon kizi highlights the need for parents and educators to work together to teach young children. Qurbana Mubinakhon Umidjon qizi discusses how parents and educators can cooperate to inculcate national values in Uzbek children. Usmonaliyeva Bahora Abduvali qizi explores the role of idioms in Uzbek literature. Ahadova Feruzakhon looks at ways to improve student vocabulary knowledge.

Abduhalilova Sevdora Xayrulla kizi asserts the importance of physical education in school. Isakova Mukhlisa Khusanboevna illuminates exercise as a stress reliever for students. Bakhromova Gulsanam discusses the importance of inclusive education for students with disabilities and practical ways to make that happen. Abdullajanova Shahnozals’hoqxon suggests ways to help shy language students feel more comfortable speaking up in class. Dildoraxon Turgunboyeva explores how to create nurturing and educational preschool environments. Abduhalilova Sevdora offers up a polylexical analysis of English language phraseology. Turdaliyeva Mohidil Baxtiyor qizi discusses classroom activities to enhance student vocabulary. Dildoraxon Turg’unboyeva highlights the value of dictionaries in education. Ahadova Feruzakhon suggests ways to work with vocabulary when teaching young students their native language. Shahnoza Amanboyeva points to 3D modeling and artificial intelligence as tools to enhance science classrooms.

One of education’s important social functions is to prepare students to join the workforce. The global economic landscape is continually in flux, as several contributors discuss. Satimboyeva Risolat Ilhomboy qizi outlines future prospects for job growth given emerging world technologies. Azamova Feruza Abduholiq qizi suggests ways to improve the service sector of Uzbekistan’s economy.

Turning to medicine, Mamadiyorova Durdona outlines the structure and function of the human placenta. Ashurova Parizoda explores the biological characteristics of the parasite Ascaris and its effects on the human body. Xamroyeva Shaxlo discusses the process of blood formation in the human body.

For a look at a widely discussed technology, Rahmonova Barno Kilich qizi probes the economic future of our world after the growth of artificial intelligence. Nurmatova Charosxon Pirnazar qizi also explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping education and the global economy. Toshbotirov Bekjaxon Asliddin o‘g‘li outlines useful roles for AI in the classroom. O’rinboyeva Ziynatjon Anvarbek qizi points to effects of artificial intelligence on society.

Dildora Sultonova celebrates human intelligence, singing an ode to her resplendent and resilient dreams. Eva Petropoulou Lianou interviews poet Eldar Akhadov, highlighting his optimism and respect for the next generation.

A common thread in this entire issue is the persistence of human connection in the face of change. Each contributor grapples with how individuals and communities relate to each other, to history and culture, to the natural world. Smaller scale personal narratives and larger stories intertwine as overlapping dimensions of the human story. The blending of artistic forms and styles in several works evokes the complex flowing of ideas within the creative mind, a current that dissolves rigid boundaries among ideas and cultures.

The collection suggests that while much of our lives inevitably flows and shifts with the passage of time and with cultural and technological change, the underlying human impulses to connect, to understand, and to create meaning remain constant..

No Mask

No mask has ever fitted my face, 

though compulsorily it is to drape one’s visage,

thus naked my features have remained

at home, 

at work, 

and in prayers.

No paints have ever suited my physiognomic traits.

The rouge revolts against teeth and lips,

and kohl runs riot on lashes and eyelids,

suffusing my eyes with a soot-like substance.

No words have ever withheld their revelations.

They howl their way out

despite bridles and intimidation.

They resonate 

and reiterate,

overlooking every type of exclamation. 

If I Were a Queen

My students continued to stare at me,

pondering over my words, 

in a state of disbelief,

some faces betraying shock, 

others questioning the practicality of my revelations.

I reiterated that if I were a queen – 

yet emphasizing the impossibility of purpling my veins –

I would give up my crown and jewelry

to build orphanages and proper houses for the less fortunate.

My attire would be simple

since extravagance costs multiple millions

that can accommodate every homeless citizen.

Besides, innate grace does not need an expensive outfit.

A Paper Lantern

If I could only be 

a floating paper lantern,

sailing on a placid stream

for eternity,

emanating gold everywhere,

yet escaping the maliciousness of the human species.

1-You gave to the wind

You threw the seeds of love unsparingly to the wind,

only gathered by the light gusts

that deposited them one by one

among the fertile valleys of brown spots

that declared war on the white-painted boats

painted with fresh dove feathers.To the desert, your legacy, planted in the dark days of the Cold War

that raised its summer leaves immersed in oases of peace.You looked to the sky, offering your gratitude

for the uniqueness of blood in the flow of fire

that continuously bathed the banks

dipped in the salt water of excruciating pain

at dawn, the piercing echoes of the rain resounded

that cried dew dried by the steam of interminable kisses

all left half-finished to return later to complete them.

In the dream, kisses still appear

to become the double wings of elegant monarchs.

And where are you now? Already gone back to fight your own never-ending war,

only the truce of eyes that, reunited, admired each other,

promising eternity.You buried your seeds to be found by the sun,

pierced by the chilling rays,waiting for your warm hands,

to imprint in a child’s kiss,

the age-old purity,

that enclosed the purity of the heart,that suffers today.

Elisa Mascia

2- Butterfly Wings

Colorful butterflies, noble soul on the chill of the winter sun.

Trapped in the dew of the stomach, stirred in the night dance awaiting the dawn.

You invented the song, different and inviting every day,

actor and author of your part as the absolute protagonist.

The barefoot dancer applauded ceaselessly, her feet never touching the ground,

she rose in flight over the aridity of the world put to rest among the desert oases,

the one narrowed by the rocks,

milestones guardians of ash more dangerous than the burning coals left in the name of a love that has lost its nostalgia.

Fly high, butterfly, over the eastern skies, look ahead and don’t stop even for a useless greeting.

Stitched together from the drops of bitterness,

the pages of the soul write chapters of a new fantasy world painted by the colorful butterfly.

Elisa Mascia

THINGS THAT MATTER 

There is little promise in the things he left  

hanging in the dark recesses of his mind’s attic. 

My granddad lapped up the remaining potatoes,

He loved the dregs of the broth and the stub of days left:

The little sleep nudging and knocking on his eyes,

And the crystal crumbs crying uneaten on the plate. 

He shredded sweet meats with forked toothpicks,

A tired mouth disdained the rinds of cheese.

The tiny crimps on the suit he missed in the ironing

Lingered like sore fingers of a leprous hand.

All the small words that stuck to his throat like phlegm and the bigger world of remembering of those days, 

Those tiny footnotes his life had become

Sat like dust on the oaken table, grey and tangible.

At last he mowed down his once-hot soupand the bistre in his eyes asked not for pity.

GEOMETRY OF THE DAY AFTER

What happens when the sirens

stop? Think of the silence,

or the rhetoric’s sweet sonic

in the city’s cold tumult.

Talk of the spikelets raising heads after the clean shave.

I choose you, a stranger’s outstretched hand, after the unmerciful quiet wears your face to the bones.

I see your ears 

Pockmarked in blood, your name, splattered across the city’s grey face,

cake into a totem cream.

The sounds you bear

from rapping the door and flaking the wall

in the city hall conjure the ghost of the last frost.The only time birds sang

in the blistered sky

was when the moon wrestled the earth.

AS THE OVERPLAYED TURNTABLE GROANS

the world holds its breath as if sweet stenches from the trenches were some fetish to disdain or dissuade.

The skeletal threads of fire and brimstone chainsaws to teacups.

Morning hailstorms ground the waters of Hormuz.

Brackish taste remembers what the smell strains to unlearn.

Every step is a swindle of note. Every word a luxury.

Every tap dance kneads a hollow sound in the bones

from the brain that owns a hundred ritual regrets to the trails of ourselves in the shadow overlooking the cliff we turn to for a plunge. We love grunge whether the sun sinks behind hills or

the world frays at its forked ends.We are worn-out fingers on a ploughshare,

the forgotten half-life of a smouldering song.

PARABLE OF THREE TANGLED SPIRITS 

Freedom rides in the saddle of death.In his hands lies the reins and the kingdom,

neither sauntering nor galloping in the streets of Jerusalem,

not sweating or wallowing in Golgotha’s fields;

thoughts scurry awayuntil the trial pales into a shadow.

In the remnants of a losing battle and a strained home,

Jesus dreams of marrying a shadow.

Neither flesh nor soft touch stays, but silence

that sways like miracles within.

Smoothly, the water splits into wine,

When Mary and Martha linger at his feet,

it is as if the lips of heaven were kissing His Holy Ventriloquist with the magic words.

How will a spiritual eye choose between two beauties?

One ruby-haired and full-bosomed. The other blue-eyed and sprite. What is the cost of the fragrance in shekels? And the trio spar unclad in a serpent bed

where the sheets frayed in a million places.

A pillow strains with mixed blood and lumps

of a built-in liberty; in the transfiguration of love,

intransigence hardens a garden into a layered city

where bones and walls refuse to die.

Nattie O’Sheggzy is a poet who, often accompanied by his loyal dog, Exhale, finds inspiration in the complexities of simple things. He is the author of two poetry collections: Random Imaginations and Sounds of the Wooden Gong. Nattie’s work has been featured in various literary publications, including Literary Yard, Sandy River Review, Everscribe, Ultramarine Review, Heroin Love Song, Agape Review, SweetSmell Journal, Smoky Quartz, Feed The Holy, and LiteZine. He is currently working on publishing his third poetry collection.