A Promise

In the bosom of a colorful flower garden, young lovers were looking at each other with bright eyes and excited hearts, the girl:
- May I ask you something?
- Yes, of course.
- Can we have our wedding on my birthday?
- Why on this particular day? There are still ten months to the birthday.
- I want you to play the piano for me on our wedding day. It would be the biggest gift for me on my birthday. It would be a double celebration.
- Say so. Okay. I promise. Of course, I will play the most beautiful tune for you.
Time passed and the wedding day came. Candles were lit, the wedding hall was beautifully decorated, while the son-in-law was sitting in the middle playing the piano, a quiet tune was playing. He kept his promise. But a mournful song dedicated to the bride who recently died of illness was playing in the empty wedding hall…

Nosirova Gavhar was born on August 16, 2000 in the city of Shahrisabz, Kashkadarya region of Uzbekistan. Today, she is a third-year student of the Faculty of Philology of the Samarkand State University of Uzbekistan. Being a lover of literature, she is engaged in writing stories and poems. Her creative works have been published in Uzbek and English. In addition, she is a member of «All India Council for Development of Technical Skills», «Juntosporlasletras» of Argentina, «2DSA Global Community». Winner of the «Korablznaniy» and «TalentyRossii» contests, holder of the international C1 level in the Russian language, Global Education ambassador of Wisdom University and global coordinator of the Iqra Foundation in Uzbekistan. «Magic pen holders» talented young group of Uzbekistan, «KayvaKishor», «Friendship of people», «Raven Cage», «The Daily Global Nation», Argentina;s «Multi Art-6», Kenya’s «Serenity: A compilation of art and literature by women» contains creative works in the magazine and anthology of poets and writers.

So many people in this poem	

Here I am walking through the streets covered with oppressive silence
Under a sun that consumes its trees
Nothing on the asphalt
Just traces of the remnants of fusible dreams
Yes,
When nothing but worry fills your bags
boarding the bus
will be very difficult, completely like getting off it
......

Believe me
I was about to write a poem about you
But the neighbours that separate me from them are a slanted question mark
I heard them whisper = she is destroying the time in his watches=
The pedestrians I walked by on the edges of my heart near them
I heard them whisper=why doesn’t she use the side roads, shorter, more mysterious, and
darker? =
The bus driver who looked at me out of the corner of his eye,
turns to the side of the window to whisper = every day, every day, when will Sunday come?=
I am between being and I can’t
I get stuck in their crowd and your absence
And the day was like a sudden slap,
elapsed.


Faleeha Hassan is a poet, teacher, editor, writer, and playwright born in Najaf, Iraq, in 1967, who now lives in the United States. Faleeha was the first woman to write poetry for children in Iraq. She received her master's degree in Arabic literature, and has now published 26 books, her poems have been translated into English, Turkmen, Bosnian, Indian, French, Italian, German, Kurdish, Spain, Korean, Greek, Serbia, Albanian, Pakistani, Romanian, Malayalam, Chinese, ODIA, Nepali and Macedonian language. She is a Pulitzer Prize Nominee for 2018, and a Pushcart Prize Nominee for 2019. She's a member of the International Writers and Artists Association. Winner of the Women of Excellence Inspiration award from SJ magazine 2020, and the Winner of the Grand Jury Award (the Sahitto International Award for Literature 2021). She served on the Women of Excellence selection committees for 2023, was a winner of a Women In The Arts award in 2023 and a Member of Who's Who in America 2023. She's on the Sahitto Award's judging panel for 2023 and a cultural ambassador between Iraq and the US. 

Flash Flood

Some parts of the country are inundated
People and cattle are struggling to pass swimming swiftly
Trying their utmost to take shelter on a certain place
Those who fail life stops forever
A few of children and old people are snatched away by the current
The children are like the new flowers to the parents
The pain of losing the relatives
Ignites the suffering to the scale
Life is like a ghost without any certainty
Waves are falling on water, on the hearts to the every one
Some are defeated, some die to the last
The world appears to be a place unknown, hazardous
On the other hand some are collecting money for help
Foods and goods are thrown from the helicopter to the victims
Some are spreading their hands by boats to reach the necessaries
Feni, Cumilla, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Brahmanbaria, Chattogram, Rangamati,
Khagrachhari, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Sylhet and Cox’s Bazar are the districts
Where this flood kissed all the way
Where my love kiss is very negligible to them.
Ah! Flash flood….

Chapainawabganj,  Bangladesh
28 August, 2024.


Md. Mahbubul Alam is from Bangladesh. His writer name is Mahbub John in Bangladesh. He is a Senior Teacher (English) of Harimohan Government High School, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh. Chapainawabganj is a district town of Bangladesh. He is an MA in English Literature from Rajshahi College under National University. He has published three books of poems in Bangla. He writes mainly poems but other branches of literature such as prose, article, essay etc. also have been published in national and local newspapers, magazines, little magazines. He has achieved three times the Best Teacher Certificate and Crest in National Education Week in the District Wise Competition in Chapainawabganj District. He has gained many literary awards from home and abroad. His English writings have been published in Synchronized Chaos for seven years.

YOUR ABSENCE 

I look at your portrait, 
and I paint a smile with the brightness of your eyes… 
I fall silent when I get home. 
I call you less
I try out discretions
I modify poems
I practice a new now. 
I balance so as not to fall, 
my war sews moons into a flag of truce
Between twilights, fear wants an end of warm sand. 
Maybe I'm not the same, 
Maybe there isn't a maybe that rescues me
With your absence there is no reflection that confirms… 
Not even a piece of truth that shows the sky
My eyes like stones face uncertain futures, 
And they cry inside.


GRACIELA NOEMI VILLAVERDE is a writer and poet from Concepción del Uruguay (Entre Rios) Argentina, based in Buenos Aires She graduated in letters and is the author of seven books of poetry, awarded several times worldwide. She works as the World Manager of Educational and Social Projects of the Hispanic World Union of Writers and is the UHE World Honorary President of the same institution Activa de la Sade, Argentine Society of Writers. She is the Commissioner of Honor in the executive cabinet IN THE EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL RELATIONS DIVISION, of the UNACCC SOUTH AMERICA ARGENTINA CHAPTER.

To You 

As the earth thirsts for rain,  
As the sunflower longs for the sun,  
So does my soul yearn for you. 
In every drop, in every ray,  
I see your image, your gentle smile.  
Just as night has its darkness,  
So do I seek the trace of you in my heart. 
As the earth awaits spring,  
As the flower dreams of azure heights,  
My heart, like a swallow, comes to you,  
To love you through the depths of affection. 
In every breeze, I hear your whisper,  
In every leaf, I feel your breath,  
For you are my unrest, from which I suffer,  
My everything, and my eternal fear. 
As the earth thirsts for rain,  
As the sunflower longs for the sun,  
So does my soul yearn for you,  
Dreaming of you, loving you, always listening to you. 


Maja Milojković was born in 1975 in Zaječar, Serbia.
She is a person to whom from an early age, Leonardo da Vinci's statement "Painting is poetry that can be seen, and poetry is painting that can be heard" is circulating through the blood.
That's why she started to use feathers and a brush and began to reveal the world and herself to them.
As a poet, she is represented in numerous domestic and foreign literary newspapers, anthologies and electronic media, and some of her poems can be found on YouTube.
Many of her poems have been translated into English, Hungarian, Bengali and Bulgarian due to the need of foreign readers.
She is the recipient of many international awards.
"Trees of Desire" is her second collection of poems in preparation, which is preceded by the book of poems "Moon Circle". 
She is a member of the International Society of Writers and Artists "Mountain Views" in Montenegro, and she also is a member of the Poetry club "Area Felix" in Serbia.

Lost Eagle

An eagle wants to soar the sky
Yet overwhelmed by the vastness high
Desire to be out of cage so free
Need to be warm and safe in a nest be
An eagle warmed by the golden sun
Yet rash and burns never been fun
Cravings for the sweetness of nectar
Detest the addiction with no holds bar
An eagle flying for desired goal
Yet struggle with currents running afoul
Fight routes twisting gone hayway
Lost in heaven's blind maze way
An eagle no different from the eaglet
An egg lain for business not nature set
Searching beyond reason's mystery
Yet know its wings has no sanctuary
An eagle forever wishing the sky
Yet caged in anchored from flying high
Desire surging wanting to be free
Quite contrarily needing the security in a nest be


End of the Line

In every journey comes the silent cold goal
In every race comes the finishing line
Faced all waves and tides with stronger soul
No regrets, no anger, nothing to whine
With every success and failure, did my best
Cry not, mourn not, it is time for spirit to rest
A warrior is never gone, guide for left behind 
Treasure memories, heart's legacy will find
More pain for loved ones; wish to comfort 
But, heaven's boat awaits for me at the port
Mix not your tears with the lonely rain
Let not our time together be for vain
Farewell, Fare Well
Life has drained my well
Church tolled the big bell
Bidding me the last farewell


Lilian Dipasupil Kunimasa was born January 14, 1965, in Manila Philippines. She has worked as a retired Language Instructor, interpreter, caregiver, secretary, product promotion employee, and private therapeutic masseur. Her works have been published as poems and short story anthologies in several language translations for e-magazines, monthly magazines, and books; poems for cause anthologies in a Zimbabwean newspaper; a feature article in a Philippine newspaper; and had her works posted on different poetry web and blog sites. She has been writing poems since childhood but started on Facebook only in 2014. For her, Poetry is life and life is poetry.

Lilian Kunimasa considers herself a student/teacher with the duty to learn, inspire, guide, and motivate others to contribute to changing what is seen as normal into a better world than when she steps into it. She has always considered life as an endless journey, searching for new goals, and challenges and how she can in small ways make a difference in every path she takes. She sees humanity as one family where each one must support the other and considers poets as a voice for Truth in pursuit of Equality and proper Stewardship of nature despite the hindrances of distorted information and traditions.

1

staggering 

in rising flood water

his empty bottle

something left

a man’s will



— Christina Chin/Uchechukwu Onyedikam




2

exposed wood

of the upholstery 

the cat's claws

a toddler traces

the outline



— Christina Chin/Uchechukwu Onyedikam




3

morning

the snails

after the rain

on the wall

a route



— Christina Chin/Uchechukwu Onyedikam



4

dogs in the 

neighbourhood 

hot afternoon

taking shade

under the bamboo hut



— Christina Chin/Uchechukwu Onyedikam



5

food scraps 

crows on the disused 

telephone cables 

the hour—

after scavenging



— Christina Chin/Uchechukwu Onyedikam