Cold Are the December Fields

and vast,

see the far evergreens dutiful,

sagacious and still

but wait, what’s this?

the afternoon winds,

vexatious and letting

the world know it is 

winter’s turn…

I had a vision in which

I asked an old man,

‘Do you see the coyotes here?’

He answered, ‘Yes,’

and in the vision, I walked incredibly

far by the near frozen river and

the coyotes walked alongside me,

for we were friends and family,

living on the outside of worlds,

by purlieu and perimeter…

yes, ‘round almost unknown old

lonesome loams,

in the cold December fields

~~~~~

WALKING IN A SPRING DRIZZLE 

Rain shellacs sidewalk. 

Store window mirrors reflect 

my dim shadowed face. 

STAR ON STAR 

your Virtuosa meets my Athlete 

where we latch unlatch and latch 

we touch on touch 

we breath on breath 

we wet on wet, with fold on fold 

among the night’s mighty echoes 

ecstatic/static/attic’s-tick-tick 

each star as perfect as the next 

in the vast topless sky 

“always” we lie on lie 

HORIZONS 

Tomorrow’s moon 

baldandwhite 

at horizon 

hesitates. 

(thunder’s hero, 

the promise) 

Your looking glass 

ghosts linger, 

your memories 

forever 

themselves; and each 

one’s a wave 

and each, a beach 

that it shaves. 

(moonmirror shows 

the menace) 

Dancing like fire 

in the foam, 

you’re a highwire 

thunderstorm! 

(horizon’s coast, 

the phoenix) 

Your poemcandle 

starts to die. 

First it stutters 

then it sighs — 

our darkhidden 

beginnings, 

unforgiven 

endings. 

(yesterday’s ghost, 

the furnace) 

CAKE’S CONSUMED, CANDLE’S EXTINGUISHED, BALLOON’S POPPED OR DEFLATED

This is the first day

of the last year

of my sixth decade.

The best weather, has it pased?

The days of the new moon aren’t done.

There are kisses to come yet

and tequila worms to swallow.

And thus, I turn off the pensive lights.

THE WHY OF POETRY

Medicine men summon the sacred smoke

of sage sweetgrass and cedar.

They unrein the Dream.

And poets compose.

They unmine the mindfield,

incite

insight.

Time / still moves / while standing still

Is political time, is archipelago
time. “Why should we have
half the islands on one time &
the other half on another when
they’re only fifteen minutes apart?”
So some adjusted the local IDL
with an eastern bulge while others
moved it westwards. On Taveuni

Island, in the Fiji archipelago, one
can stand across the actual Prime
Meridian, have one foot in today, the
other in yesterday. Then, without
moving an inch, have one foot in to-
morrow while still balancing in today.

wingding

Pigeons & buses
jostle for space

in the eye of
the hurricane.

alt-Zen

Seeking peace
from a piece
of pizza.


Intelligent Design

He considered poems to be
a form of get well cards, was
always upset that they never
came in addressed envelopes.

A note

Being an expat-
riate doesn’t

mean being an
ex-patriot. I

still cling to my
country of origin.

Fender Bender

A within-subjects study is investi-
gating whether using multidose
vials or old-school flash cards is

more efficacious. Both are some-
what pointless, & may be hazardous.
Even dead batteries can still produce

some electricity. It’s why, to overcome
its innate low speeds, a Pokémon of
Sassy nature welcomes Bitter berries.

PROMISES, PROMISES, PROMISES!

A bully. Liar. Con man. Lifelong cheat.
Convicted felon. No respect for law.
Uneducated voters think he’s God—
or sent by God to fix an unfair world
where being male and white is not enough.
They call on God—the other one, on high—
to bless their hatred with prosperity.
And God—the one in D.C—answers prayers
by suing foes, unleashing private armies
on immigrants, and posting diatribes.

But now the presidential crown’s at risk.
Epstein’s ring of wealthy pedophiles
provokes the cry, “Release the Epstein files!”
He stalls, resists, twists arms— then flips. Agrees.
In videos and photos, Don and Jeff
are partying together, side by side.
So—yes, he says he’ll do the big reveal.
But will the files be whole– or missing chunks,
with names redacted, segments lost or trashed?
And Epstein’s dead. Convenient. He can’t talk.

You think we’ll finally see hard evidence
that “grab ‘em by the pussy”—basic rape,
two dozen charges, one conviction– rape
has always been a hobby? Would an isle
of teen-aged girls be catnip to this tom?
Release the Epstein files? He signed the bill.
But will we ever see them? Sure! When hell-
fire freezes solid, grocery prices fall,
and health care is available to all.
His handlers won’t finance a losing game.

Copyright 11/25 Patricia Doyne

The Importance of Digital Literacy in the Modern World

In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, digital literacy has become an indispensable skill for individuals across all walks of life. Digital literacy means more than just the ability to use a computer or smartphone; it encompasses the capacity to critically evaluate digital content, communicate effectively through digital platforms, and safely navigate the online environment.

Enhancing Communication and Social Interaction

With the rise of the internet and digital devices, communication has transcended traditional boundaries. Digital literacy empowers people to connect instantly through emails, social networks, and video calls. This accessibility enriches personal relationships and expands professional networks, fostering cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.

Facilitating Access to Information and Lifelong Learning

The digital world offers an enormous amount of information at one’s fingertips. Having the skills to find, assess, and apply this information accurately is crucial in education, research, and day-to-day decision-making. Digital literacy encourages self-directed learning and adaptation in an era where knowledge rapidly evolves.

Boosting Employment and Economic Growth

In the modern job market, digital competence is often a prerequisite. From basic computer skills to advanced data analysis, employees with strong digital literacy can perform tasks more efficiently and innovate within their roles. Organizations that invest in digital transformation experience improved productivity, competitive advantage, and market growth, which in turn stimulates the economy.

Addressing Challenges and Promoting Responsible Use

Despite its advantages, digital technology also poses risks such as misinformation, cyberbullying, and privacy breaches. A digitally literate person understands these challenges and applies ethical standards while using technology. Awareness of cybersecurity practices and digital etiquette ensures a safer online environment for everyone.

Supporting Social Inclusion and Empowerment

Digital literacy reduces the digital divide by enabling marginalized groups to access resources and opportunities previously out of reach. It fosters empowerment by providing tools for civic engagement, access to healthcare information, and participation in digital economies.

Conclusion

Digital literacy is foundational for navigating the complexities of the 21st century. It enhances communication, education, employment, and social inclusion while promoting responsible digital citizenship. Societies that prioritize digital literacy are better equipped to harness technology’s full potential, ensuring sustainable development and global connectivity.

murmuration

the delicate thrum, heartbeat through my bound chest,
my palm pressed there like a promise,
every breath stolen from me like a murmuration of living feeling seeing i’m living
in the stars like a superhero. only now.

only now does the murmuration of my heartbeat slow, the murmuration of birds slow their pace. i’ve
been taught to exist without realizing.. the gentle murmurs
of your heart have become a gift.

i didn’t realize i missed you until i stood
under the sky with the world opened up to me and i murmuredation, please come home. we are both home.

if we are both home then why do i feel lost?
when my mom told me it wasn’t a panic attack

all i wanted was you. your delicate murmuration thrumming through my bones. your comfort.
when i picture you i feel safe.
i watch birds and i feel like i’m floating away. i could
take off in search of them but i think you’d notice.

i hope so. i notice every murmuration, we are a murmuration, aren’t we? a flock of birds,
we rise, we fall, i missed you you you
it’s hard to realize i missed you until i see you

and you say you missed me and i say it back and i feel right again,
not just a stolen wish floating away to a star-ling.

 Nourina ⭐

By Jamal Garougar 🇲🇦

Since time immemorial,
the heart has been digging a well inside me
to listen to its own water…
No one knows
that peace begins with a single drop
negotiating with its stone
before leaping toward the light.

I walk,
and nameless birds hang from my shoulders,
gathering what falls from my thoughts
as if collecting seeds
waiting for the season of departure.

I watch the trees
hide faces in their bark—
one resembles my childhood,
another the world’s trembling fear,
and a third
I do not know,
yet it reassures me
as it watches
from the shimmer of night between the branches.

I move forward,
and the things around me shift
as if the universe
were readjusting its geometry
to the rhythm of my heart…
Stones listen,
the air takes notes,
grass spells out
my footsteps
like a child learning the alphabet
for the very first time.

I love…
not a single face,
but the space
between faces,
the luminous space
shaped by the quiet passage
of the heart.

I love how water
negotiates with the earth,
and how the earth
learns from the water’s flow
the tenderness of surrender.

I also love
that everything in the universe
is suspended by a delicate thread
held by the Creator
from an unseen place—
and yet
this thread breaks
only when we close our hearts.

I stop,
and memory escapes through a window,
from which a woman appears
whom I do not know,
yet I recognize
the way she calms the wind
as it brushes past her…
and I understand that love
is not a person,
but a ritual
that souls learn
only when they set themselves aside.

I grow silent,
and meaning flows
from unknown places,
as if language
had borrowed the voice of clouds
and left me
fallen in wonder.

And when night descends,
I feel my heart
closing its doors
and opening its single window
toward a sky
that breathes within me…
a sky
where every star
knew my name
before I was born,
and knew that I came
to plant
a small garden
where the world may rest
for just a moment.

Thus,
I become a sentence
in a book vaster than Earth,
and my life
becomes a code written
on a faint light,
read by angels
searching for a new reason
why humans
should not grow weary
of carrying this planet.

And here, within every heartbeat,
the heart continues to whisper…
Nourina is not the end of the poem—
but the beginning of everything.