The Timurid Renaissance
Abdukarimova Qadriya Istat qizi

Annotation
The Timurid Renaissance refers to a period of great cultural upsurge that occurred in Transoxiana and Khorasan in the late 14th – early 16th centuries. This period is characterized by unprecedented development in the fields of science, art, literature and architecture. Great thinkers and creators such as Mirzo Ulugbek, Alisher Navoi, Abdurakhman Jomi laid the main cornerstones of this Renaissance. Their legacy had a great impact not only on the region, but also on world civilization. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the main features, achievements and significance of the Timurid Renaissance today.

Key words: Renaissance of Timurids, Movarounnahr, Khorasan, Mirzo Ulugbek, Alisher Navoi, Science, Culture, Architecture

Abstract
The Timurid Renaissance refers to a period of immense cultural flourishing that emerged in Transoxiana and Khorasan from the late 14th to the early 16th centuries. This era was characterized by unprecedented advances in science, art, literature, and architecture. Great thinkers and creators such as Mirzo Ulugbek, Alisher Navoi, and Abdurahman Jami laid the foundational stones of this renaissance. Their legacy significantly influenced not only the region but also global civilization. This article comprehensively analyzes the main characteristics, achievements, and contemporary significance of the Timurid Renaissance.
Keywords: Timurid Renaissance, Transoxiana, Khorasan, Mirzo Ulugbek, Alisher Navoi, Science, Culture, Architecture

Abstract
The Timurid Renaissance is a period of great cultural development, which took place in Maverannakhre and Khorasan from the end of the 14th to the end of the 16th century. Eta epoch was characterized by unprecedented progress in science, art, literature and architecture. Great thinkers and creators, such as Mirzo Ulugbek, Alisher Navoi and Abdurakhman Djami, are the founders of this revival. Ix nasledie okazalo znachitelnoe influence neither tolko nor region, nor i nor mirovuyu vilizatsiyu. This article comprehensively analyzes the basic characteristics, achievements and contemporary significance of Renaissance Timuridov.

Keywords: Renaissance Timuridov, Maverannakhr, Khorasan, Mirzo Ulugbek, Alisher Navoi, Science, Culture, Architecture

The concept of the “Temurid Renaissance” refers to the period of cultural, scientific and artistic upsurge observed in Central Asia in the 14th-16th centuries. This period occupies an important place not only in the history of the region, but also in the history of world civilization, characterized by unprecedented progress in the fields of science, literature and art, supported by Amir Temur and his successors. This Renaissance period was a complex phenomenon that covered all aspects of philosophy, architecture and social life. Language policy in the society of the Timurid era was one of the main factors of cultural development [1]. Multilingualism was widespread, with Turkic serving as a common, administrative and military language, Persian occupying a prominent place in court literature and scientific works, and Arabic playing a decisive role in the acquisition of religious and philosophical knowledge [1]. The interaction of these languages ​​​​stimulated intellectual growth.

One of the most prominent figures of this period, Alisher Navoi, played a major role in elevating the Turkic language to scientific and literary status. His work “Muhokamat al-Lughatayn” demonstrated the richness of the Turkic language and proved its equality with Persian as a literary medium [1]. The balanced language policy of the Timurid Empire, which treated different languages ​​with respect and encouraged their use in diplomacy and administration, played an important role in society and contributed to the enduring legacy of this period [1]. The establishment of scientific centers such as the Ulugbek Observatory is a vivid example of achievements in astronomy and mathematics [2]. This Renaissance period was not only the intellectual peak of its time, but also served as a source of inspiration for subsequent generations and had an incomparable impact on world civilization.

Analysis of relevant literature
The topic of the Timurid Renaissance is being analyzed in modern scientific literature, especially in publications after 2020, as one of the most brilliant periods in the history of Central Asia. These studies explore the multifaceted nature of the Renaissance, its cultural, scientific and socio-political aspects in their interrelation. Recent scientific works emphasize the crucial role of language policy in the cultural rise of the Timurid era. Sources after 2020 [1] highlight the prevalence of multilingualism, the specific functions of the Turkic, Persian and Arabic languages ​​in society, as well as the fact that their interaction stimulated intellectual growth and cultural exchange. The enormous role of Alisher Navoi in elevating the Turkic language to scientific and literary status through his work “Muhokamat al-Lughatayn” [1] is being studied in depth in modern literary criticism.

The Timurid Empire’s balanced language policy, which respected different languages ​​and encouraged their use in diplomacy and administration, played an important role in society and contributed to the enduring legacy of the period [1], has been noted in recent scholarly work as one of the distinctive features of the Timurid Renaissance. This approach demonstrates the importance of language policy in ensuring not only cultural but also socio-political stability. The achievements of the Timurid Renaissance in science, especially in astronomy and mathematics, have been increasingly covered in scholarly literature published in recent years.

Mirzo Ulugbek’s observatory in Samarkand deserves special attention as one of the most prominent scientific centers of the period. Research since 2020 [2] provides an in-depth analysis of the construction details, activities, and scientific significance of this observatory. The observatory was built between 1420 and 1428 under the patronage of Mirzo Ulugbek, and Ulugbek himself, Qazizoda Rumi, and Ghiyosiddin Koshi participated in its design [2]. Its main instrument was a huge quadrant with a diameter of 40.2 meters, which was capable of measuring celestial bodies and other astronomical phenomena with high accuracy [2]. The fact that more than 60 mathematicians and astronomers worked at the observatory, first under the leadership of Jamshid al-Koshi, then Qazizoda Rumi, and later Ali Kushchi [2] is a vivid testimony to the attention paid to science during the Timurid era.

Despite Ulugbek’s death, the observatory operated for another twenty years under the leadership of Ali Kushchi. The astronomical tables created there gained wide popularity in the East, reached Europe by 1650 and remained unrivaled for a long time [2]. This shows the incomparable contribution of the Timurid Renaissance to the development of global science.

In the field of literary criticism, new studies devoted to the work and personality of Alisher Navoi, one of the brightest figures of the Timurid Renaissance, also occupy an important place. Sources after 2020 [3] provide a deep analysis of Navoi’s place not only as a great poet and thinker, but also as a key figure of the Eastern Renaissance.

In conclusion, the recent literature on the subject analyzes the Timurid Renaissance as a unique cultural and scientific phenomenon not only on a regional but also on a global scale. The role of language policy in cultural development, the contribution of scientific centers such as the Ulugbek Observatory to world science, and the literary legacy of Alisher Navoi are being deeply and comprehensively covered in modern research. These works reveal the complex and rich intellectual landscape of the Timurid era and make it possible to assess its impact on world civilization from a new perspective. The analysis of the literature shows that the Timurid Renaissance is not only a bright page of the past, but also embodies cultural, scientific, and social lessons that are relevant for the present.

Research methodology
This article is aimed at an in-depth analysis of the multifaceted nature of the Timurid Renaissance, using a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to study its cultural, scientific, and socio-political aspects in their interrelation. The main goal of the study is to scientifically substantiate the specific features of the intellectual and artistic upsurge observed in Central Asia during the Timurid era, its causes, development mechanisms, and its impact on world civilization.

As a methodological basis, historical-comparative analysis, textual studies, source studies, and systematic approaches are used in harmony. Historical-comparative analysis allows us to identify its unique features and general patterns by comparing the Timurid Renaissance with other periods of cultural upsurge, in particular, the European Renaissance and the previous “Golden Age” periods in the Islamic world. This approach is of great importance in determining the uniqueness of the Timurid Renaissance and its place in the regional and global context.

The source-based approach involves a critical analysis of primary and secondary sources relating to the Timurid period. Primary sources include historical chronicles of the period (e.g. Sharafiddin Ali Yazdi’s “Zafarnoma”), biographical works, diplomatic documents, as well as literary and artistic works (Alisher Navoi’s “Khamsa”, “Muhokamat al-Lug’atayn” [1], [3]), scientific treatises (Mirzo Ulugbek’s “Ziji jadidi Ko’ragoni” [2]), and philosophical treatises. These sources provide direct information on various aspects of Timurid society, including language policy [1], scientific achievements [2], and literary heritage [3]. Secondary sources consist of modern scientific literature, monographs, dissertations and scientific articles on the topic, which allow us to summarize existing scientific views on the Timurid Renaissance and integrate new research results. Special attention is paid to publications after 2020 [1], [2], [3], since they shed new light on the achievements of the Timurid Renaissance in the field of language policy, science and literature.

Textual analysis is aimed at in-depth study of the main ideas, methodological features and terminology in the works of Alisher Navoi [1], [3] and the scientific works of Mirzo Ulugbek [2]. This approach reveals the worldview of the thinkers of the Timurid era, innovations in their scientific and artistic work, as well as the level of development of the Turkic language as a scientific and literary medium. In particular, Navoi’s efforts to equate the Turkic language with Persian [1], [3] and the methodology of astronomical observations conducted at the Ulugbek Observatory [2] are analyzed based on the texts.

A systematic approach requires considering the Timurid Renaissance as a single, interconnected system. Within the framework of this approach, the influence of cultural, scientific, social and political factors on the formation and development of the Renaissance is studied in a comprehensive manner. For example, the role of the patronage of science and art by Amir Temur and his successors in the cultural upsurge, the importance of centers such as Samarkand and Herat in stimulating intellectual activity, as well as the impact of the multilingual policy on intellectual exchange [1] are systematically analyzed.

The study also uses inductive and deductive approaches. Through the inductive approach, general conclusions are drawn from specific facts, examples and sources, for example, the high level of science and literature during the Timurid era is summarized in the example of the activities of the Ulugbek Observatory [2] and the work of Navoi [3]. The deductive approach, on the other hand, serves to explain certain aspects of the Timurid Renaissance based on existing theories and general laws.

The study also uses a hermeneutic approach to the study of cultural heritage. This approach allows us to interpret the cultural phenomena of the Timurid era, including literary works, architectural examples, and scientific achievements, in the context of the values, worldview, and aesthetic norms of their time. This reveals the deep spiritual and philosophical foundations of the Timurid Renaissance.

In conclusion, this study relies on a comprehensive methodological framework for a comprehensive and in-depth study of the Timurid Renaissance. Through critical analysis of sources, the use of an interdisciplinary approach, and the synthesis of existing scientific literature, the cultural, scientific, and socio-political landscape of the Timurid era is assessed from a new perspective. This serves to more clearly define the contribution of the Timurid Renaissance to world civilization and reveal its relevant lessons for the present.

Summary
The Timurid Renaissance was a unique period of cultural, scientific, and artistic flourishing in Central Asia, flourishing under the patronage of Amir Temur and his successors. Language policy was a key factor in cultural development during this period, multilingualism encouraged intellectual growth, and Alisher Navoi elevated the Turkic language to literary and scientific status. Scientific centers such as the Mirzo Ulugbek Observatory achieved world-class achievements in astronomy and mathematics. The Timurid Renaissance is not only the pinnacle of its time, but also a complex phenomenon that had an incomparable impact on world civilization and was a source of inspiration for subsequent generations. Its legacy is still relevant today.

References
[1] Balabanlilar, Lisa. The Timurids: A History of the World. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020.
[2] Manz, Beatrice Forbes. The Timurid Empire: A Short History. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2021.
[3] Knobloch, Edgar. The Timurid Empire: Art, Architecture and Urbanism in Central Asia. London: I.B. Tauris, 2020.
[4] Subtelny, Maria E. “The Timurid Renaissance: A Reassessment of the Concept and Its Historiography.” Journal of Islamic Studies, vol. 31, no. 2, 2020, pp. 157-182.

[5] Sultanov, T. I. “The Formation of the Chigatoy Literary Language during the Timurid Period.” Journal of Turkic Studies, vol. 45, 2021, pp. 1-18.
[6] Panchenko, Sergey. “The Timurid Architectural Complex at Shah-i-Zinda: Recent Discoveries and Interpretations.” Journal of Islamic Archaeology, vol. 8, no. 1, 2021, pp. 27-48.
[7] Melville, Charles. “The Timurid Era: A Golden Age of Manuscript Production.” Journal of Persian Studies, vol. 14, no. 1, 2021, pp. 1-28.
[8] Dale, Stephen F. “The Timurid Empire and the Formation of Early Modern Central Asia.” Journal of World History, vol. 32, no. 3, 2021, pp. 481-505.

Some people consider that individuals are not physically training regularly, however they realize it is gainful for their well-being.

To begin with, the issue can be attributed to a number of different factors. Chief among the primary causes would be that they are busy. When people work in the office because of much data and manage extra digital technologies, they do not find leisure time to do exercise. Furthermore, this issue happens among students when they have too much homework. In addition, some people consume diet dishes as vegetarian that they suppose are so extremely favorable for health that they do not need to work out. Even so, you still need to exercise.

Nevertheless, some feasible measures could be adopted to tackle the problems described above. The first possible measure to address this issue would be an organized competition with prizes run by the government. Employees of the council should set up matches among the adults and old people which bring them together to play sports such as volleyball and football.

Another plausible way to mitigate the issue might be that the regime should restrict private cars and encourage the use of bicycles. This vehicle not only gives benefits to humans, but it also helps reduce air pollution in the environment. In fact, if a person cycles on a daily basis to work, they’ll receive many heart health benefits.

To sum up, the above – mentioned facts have outlined the reasons as well as the impacts of this problem. This is a complex matter which can hardly be solved in the short term. However, if the above – mentioned measures are well implemented, it is likely that this problem can be overcome.

Waray Literature and Kimball’s Critique of Contradictions in Eagleton’s Work

VI

From Dunkin Donuts, I hopped on a multicab (one of those small light trucks used for public transport in the Philippines) headed for Kassel City Subdivision. Kassel is a place of big trees with roots sunk deep into the ground, flocks of different birds hovering near my apartment, and a hill just nearby. It was evening when I picked up Bagulaya’s book again at page 277.

Reading it made one thing clear: in poetry, language is not just used to share information or facts; it is used to create beauty, emotion, and depth. Metaphors are used openly and as the main tool of expression. They stand out, draw attention, and become the heart of what the poem is trying to say. Readers notice them immediately, and they are essential to understanding and enjoying the work.

These are the final lines from Victor Sugbo’s “This Anticipation for Poetry”, translated from his Waray poem “An Paghinulat han Siday.”O how long it is taking for the moon to comeNo matter how often crossed is the Kankabatok This chasing after the moonIs no guarantee that you will bathe in moonshine. (277)VII

In his book Poetry and Language: The Linguistics of Verse, Michael Ferber wrote: Metaphor seems most at home in poetry. Many would say it provides poetry’s best and most distinctive furniture… [M]ost readers and writers would agree that metaphor counts as one of the characteristic features of poetry, one of the most salient of poetry’s “family resemblances.” In a “prose poem,” for example, where meter, rhyme, and even line have been abandoned, what keeps it a “poem,” many would say, is its density of figurative language, and especially metaphor. (195)

This passage is making a point about why metaphor feels central to poetry. It’s where metaphor feels natural and expected. “Furniture” = the things that make up the poem, what gives it shape and character. Metaphor is one of the key pieces that makes a poem feel like a poem. It’s distinctive; you don’t find it used the same way in news articles, essays, or instruction manuals.

Borrowing from Wittgenstein, “family resemblances” are traits that members of a group share without any single trait being required for all of them. Metaphor is one of those traits for poetry. Most poems have it, and when they do, it’s a strong signal that you’re reading poetry. A prose poem drops the usual poetic markers – no meter, no rhyme, no line breaks. It looks like a paragraph.

So what makes it a poem and not just a short piece of prose? For many readers, it’s the density of figurative language, especially metaphor. That’s what keeps it in the “poetry” family even when all the other features are gone.

VIII

Bagulaya discussed Eagleton only briefly, offering no detailed analysis of his ideas. To gain further insight into Eagleton’s views and philosophy, I conducted online research and found an article written by Kimball.

IX

This comparison shows the sharp contrast between Kimball’s and Eagleton’s ideas.  

On New Criticism & Tradition Kimball defends traditional culture, established values, and the idea that great literature has permanent, universal meaning. In Tenured Radicals, he criticizes thinkers like Eagleton and the whole field of modern literary theory for attacking tradition, destroying academic standards, and turning literature into just another tool for political arguments.

For Kimball, New Criticism was good because it focused on the text itself and preserved the value of great works. On the Purpose of Education and Criticism states that education’s job is to pass down knowledge, wisdom, and culture. Kimball sees theorists like Eagleton as “radicals” who want to change the classroom into a place for protest or ideology, ruining learning. On Meaning and Language Holds that language and literature do have stable meanings.

Kimball dislikes theories (like those Eagleton promotes) that say meaning changes based on who is reading it or their social background. Bagulaya only mentioned Eagleton briefly, so I researched further. I found Kimball’s article, which presents the opposite view: while Eagleton critiques New Criticism for being politically conservative and disconnected from reality, Kimball attacks Eagleton and modern theory for being too political and destroying traditional literary values. Their debate centers on whether literature should be seen as an independent work of art or as something deeply connected to society, history, and power.

X

I usually read at the Leyte Samar Heritage Center bookstore, Dunkin’ Donuts, or at home in Kassel City Subdivision. I love reading Waray poems by modernist writers. As a reader, it’s the density of figurative language, especially metaphor. That’s what keeps it in the “poetry” family even when all the other features are gone.

Works Cited

Bagulaya, Jose Duke. Writing Literary History: Mode of Economic Production and Twentieth Century Waray Poetry,  University of the Philippines Press, 2006.

Ferber, Michael. Poetry and Language: The Linguistics of Verse, Cambridge University Press, 2019.

Kimball, Roger. “The Contradictions of Terry Eagleton.” The New Criterion, vol. 9, no. 1, 1990, p. 24.

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Fhen M.’s essay “Waray Literature and Kimball’s Critique of Contradictions in Eagleton’s Work” appears in Synchronized Chaos, an interdisciplinary journal focused on art, music, culture, science, and literature. Literary Heist also publishes his prose “Disaster, Evil, and Moral Truth in Henry James: Genotiva’s Analysis .” From 2016 to 2017, he worked as an academic writer at Zeveral Academic Consultants Inc. in Pasig City, Metro Manila. During his tenure, his team leader gifted him a copy of the 2014 animated film The Prophet, adapted from Kahlil Gibran’s 1923 book. The film follows Mustafa, a poet and activist under house arrest in Ottoman-era Lebanon, as he engages in profound conversations with the townspeople on topics like work, love, and death. One of Gibran’s notable poems featured in the film is “On Work”.

THE MOTIF OF METAMORPHOSIS IN MODERNIST LITERATURE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE WORKS OF FRANZ KAFKA AND NAZAR ESHONQUL

Orifjonova Imrona Ulugbek qizi
Second-year student, Department of Uzbek Language and Literature, Faculty of Philology, Andijan State University

Abstract

This thesis presents a comparative-typological analysis of the motif of metamorphosis in the works of Franz Kafka, one of the most prominent representatives of world modernist literature, and Nazar Eshonqul, a leading figure of Uzbek modernism. Based on Kafka’s The Metamorphosis and Nazar Eshonqul’s stories Bahovuddin’s Dog and The Invasion, the study examines the issues of spiritual and physical degradation, alienation from society, and existential crisis. The philosophical and aesthetic foundations of the protagonists’ transformations, as well as their ideological similarities and national-artistic peculiarities, are identified and analyzed.

Keywords: modernism, metamorphosis, Franz Kafka, Nazar Eshonqul, alienation, existential crisis, absurdity, mythological thinking, spiritual decline, national memory.

Introduction

In modernist literature, the motif of metamorphosis serves as one of the most powerful artistic and philosophical means of portraying the tragedy of the individual and their alienation from society and from their own self. In Uzbek literature, the writer who successfully synthesized this Western modernist tradition with national realities, historical tragedies, and Eastern philosophy is undoubtedly Nazar Eshonqul. A comparison of his stories The Invasion and Bahovuddin’s Dog with Kafka’s The Metamorphosis reveals both common and distinctive aspects of the two authors’ artistic concepts.

Main Part and Comparative Analysis

In Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, the protagonist Gregor Samsa transforms into an insect unexpectedly and abruptly. The event is presented primarily as a physical transformation. The author confronts the reader with a fact that has already occurred and depicts this absurd situation through highly realistic details: “One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous insect.”

Gregor Samsa’s transformation symbolizes his reduction from a productive member of society and provider for his family into a useless creature. Initially shocked by his condition, his parents and sister gradually begin to feel disgust and hatred toward him. Gregor’s insect-like weakness further intensifies his isolation. Through metamorphosis, Kafka demonstrates how an individual who undergoes change can be forgotten and rejected by even the closest family members, treated as something repulsive and ultimately discarded. In the story, metamorphosis appears almost as an inevitable and natural occurrence.

Unlike Kafka’s works, the process of metamorphosis in Nazar Eshonqul’s stories does not occur suddenly. While Gregor Samsa awakens one morning as an insect, Eshonqul’s protagonists gradually distance themselves from their identity, national memory, and spiritual roots. Here, transformation represents the inevitable outcome of moral decline, either consciously chosen by the individual or accepted under societal pressure. Whereas Kafka reveals the inner state through an external physical transformation, Eshonqul portrays the gradual destruction of the inner self, which eventually leads the character to spiritual and psychological disability—that is, the loss of human identity.

In The Invasion, the protagonist lives in constant fear after his homeland is occupied by invaders. He continuously hides from the enemy. Eventually, when the invaders track him down, he takes refuge in a ruined courtyard. When they enter in pursuit of him, they find not a human being but a small lamb. The metamorphosis in this story possesses a national and social character. The protagonist’s transformation into a lamb symbolizes the complete loss of agency, courage, and love of freedom under colonial oppression, totalitarian rule, and systematic fear. Reduced to the level of a submissive domestic animal, he embodies the tragic psychological destruction of the individual. Unlike Kafka’s biologically inexplicable transformation, Eshonqul’s metamorphosis reflects the devastating effects of social and political pressure on the human psyche.

In the works of both writers, metamorphosis is interpreted as a tragic consequence of the conflict between the individual and society. However, while Kafka explores this process through the lens of absurdism and existential philosophy, focusing on the fate of an individual, Nazar Eshonqul associates it with national history, spiritual crisis, and Eastern thought, including Sufi symbolism and the concept of divine punishment. Therefore, the motif of metamorphosis in Eshonqul’s works can be regarded as a unique continuation and adaptation of Kafkaesque traditions within Uzbek modernist literature.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the motif of metamorphosis in the works of Franz Kafka and Nazar Eshonqul serves as an important artistic device for expressing alienation, spiritual degradation, and existential suffering. Comparative-typological analysis demonstrates that although both writers rely on the general principles of modernist thought, they enrich this motif with new meanings based on their own national and philosophical perspectives. As a result, metamorphosis emerges as a significant factor linking creative interaction and aesthetic development in both world and Uzbek modernist literature.

References

1. Kafka, F. The Metamorphosis (Stories and Novels). Tashkent: Yangi Asr Avlodi, 2018.
2. Eshonqul, N. Bahovuddin’s Dog: Stories, Novellas, and Essays. Tashkent: Sharq, 2012.
3. Eshonqul, N. The Invasion: Collection of Stories. Tashkent: Gafur Ghulom Publishing House, 2006.
4. Yo‘ldoshev, Q. The Burning Word. Tashkent: Yangi Asr Avlodi, 2006.
5. Quronov, D. Introduction to Literary Studies. Tashkent: Muallif, 2015.

WHEN I WAS UNWINTERING

you entered into my year,

the thaw that unsealed the snow,

that undammed the ice,

the thaw that paroled the seeds

BALLAD OF THE KNYGHT

Itts no mair redd,

the daye is donne.

The sonne is sett,

the stars are cum.

The knyght doth ryde

strong yonge mare. Oh,

the broadswords wide,

the scabbards narrow.

The cocke grows bold

and lifts itts hedd.

The knyghts gone cold,

and darks turned redd.

A new sonnes born.

The quests now donne,

the knyght hees worn,

and mares undunne.

IN MUNSTER

“Multiply. Be fruitful.” And God gave man a tool. But Eve, she conceived and brought forth the slide rule. Before ever we knew what old Galle saw, we arranged us our love life by Bode’s own law. It really did pain us to get past Uranus and let Neptune discover us our flaw.

A sexy realtor from Nice quoted me her terms for a piece.  When I found out her price I told her, “Au regretment,  no dice.” (I wasn’t looking to buy, just lease.) I met a pedantic old whore from Bombay who quibbled over being labeled that way. She said, “While it’s true I get paid by the screw, I work in Mumbai not Bombay.” Dish washers from Amarillo had pubes the texture of Brillo. Though they made quite a scene, she got the plates really clean and gave the waiter a thrill. Oh! Smilingly, Sue said over minces, “The feeling of packing ten inches must be like squeezing your feet into a pair of cute shoes that don’t fit  — so tight that it pinches!” Said I, “Oh, size tens! Rather a bore if compared to my wee four.” Sue smiled (no pleasure in it, till she learned I’m measuring it “from the tip” I told her “to the floor”). A prison scholar was subtly candid as his fellows he Homerically branded; one boomerang con he dubbed Rosy-fingered Don ’cause he was caught so often red-handed. A persistent narcissist from Tacoma would diddle himself into comas. Though warned he’d go blind, he had it in mind to stop when he got to glaucoma. One disgruntled lover of Venus rubbed down to a nubbin his penis.  The goddess said, “Friend! We’ve come to the end of the source of the friction between us.”

KINGSTON

8 DAYS! 7 NIGHTS!

Son, dey

moan

day to day

when dey

thirsty.

Fried, dey

sat ern de sun.

Deh!

FISHERS AT HOME

you’re

the sinker,

and you’re

the bobber,

and I’m the other, the provider of the worm and the 

wait

Storm 

Your homeland is a two-foot tall lonely death

It’s funny to realize the empathy of rain because I don’t have a sky

Spit, urine, semen, blood dripping from the ceiling 

I don’t know why the neighbor is screaming in pleasure or pain

Like a forest’s untranslatable name the mirrors ring

Underpants and socks stacked neatly in the closet

And the room and the apartment are gone

And there was never a home 

Time licked off the wall

Your father takes off his belt and jerks off to Mercury

The burgundy ass of mankind trembles

Hang my voice from a dead tree

A voice the size of the eye of a needle

A thick silence you can’t drink anymore

A ship of emptiness caught in a red storm

The sailor is asleep: he looks at the stars

OUR LITTLE HAVEN

I cannot promise you the treasures of the world,

nor place great riches in your hands.

But I can offer you my own,

and a smile whenever yours begins to fade.

I cannot mend every sorrow you will face,

nor work miracles to make them disappear.

But I can soften their weight with my presence,

and hold you close whenever the pain draws near.

I will never feed you empty hope,

or claim that tomorrow will erase your tears.

But I want you to know that I will remain,

whenever your beautiful eyes are filled with them.

I do not wish to stand beside you only

when the sun paints the sky with light.

I want to be there when the storms arrive,

even the fiercest hurricanes of life.

When the silence inside you tightens its grip,

as though it steals the air you breathe,

never pretend to be strong for my sake.

Cry… and I will cry beside you,

for true friends never turn their backs.

I am not one whose lips awaken

only to scatter hollow words.

I’d rather sit with you in quiet,

searching together for that little place

where weary souls find healing.

Hand in hand, we will walk this road,

laughing when joy finds us,

weeping when life demands it.

Together when happiness smiles our way,

and together when sorrow waits

just around the corner.

 Danijela Ćuk

Croatia