LOVE STORM

When you came into my life,

it wasn’t just a step!

You arrived like a wind that doesn’t ask

if the sky is ready to open!

You were a lightning bolt that tears the sky apart

and leaves my heart defenseless!

You brought down the walls

I had built for years!

You shattered the silence into a thousand thunderclaps!

With one glance, you raised a sea within me.

With one touch, you stirred a storm inside me!

Now the winds carry my thoughts toward you,

like leaves fleeing before a tempest.

Thunder carries your name through my chest.

Rain slides down my soul like a confession.

Every drop is the fear that you will disappear.

Every lightning bolt is proof that you exist.

And I stand in the midst of that wild sky,

without shelter, without fear, without turning back.

For once the heart learns your storm,

it never again knows how to live in silence!

For if this love is the storm that breaks me,

let it thunder, let it burn, let it destroy everything!

It is better to burn in your storm

than to live in a world

without the thunder of your heart !!!

Author: Vesna Malović Petrović

My name is Vesna Malović Petrović, a poet from Serbia, residing in the town of Veliko Gradište, where I live and create.

I was born on June 4, 1960, in Inđija, Srem, Serbia. I mainly write love poetry and poems for children. I also enjoy humor, and from time to time I write humorous texts and playful poems. My poems have been published in numerous international joint poetry anthologies and foreign literary magazines and have been translated into several foreign languages. I am also the recipient of numerous literary awards and recognitions.

THE EGO TRIP

The ego trip

A hell-bent show.

A lavish spectacle,

a reckless display.

A luxurious hotel,

with a five-star sway.

A self-woven shroud,

Displayed with pride.

A swelling ego

Is hard to hide.

A shopping complex,

A spilled bill.

The world starves,

Take a chill pill.

Designer outfits,

Gaudy jewelry.

Slum dogs envy,

The opulent’s spending spree.

The limousine’s tires

Burst on glassy shards.

Silent tombs

Speak in graveyards:

‘All that comes from dust

Shall return to dust!’

Shah Jehan Begum Ashrafi was born in U.P., India, and grew up in Mauritius. She studied English and French literature at the University of Mauritius. After completing her postgraduate degree in education at the Mauritius Institute of Education, she taught English, French, and literature in various secondary schools. She wrote several plays for the National Drama Festival in Mauritius. Her first published work is a study guide to Arthur Miller’s play ‘All My Sons’. Writing poetry is her passion, and she is also working on a novel and some short stories. She was on the editing panel of Rajeshwari Chauhan’s novel ‘Daniel’s Diary’. Now the author lives in Canada and wishes to take up other jobs and widen her experience and knowledge. Shah Jehan Ashrafi completed her Master’s degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Montreal.

PRAYER FOR BULGARIA

Teach me, God, till my last breath,

to watch the sky with love.

To sing the songs of birds and magic,

to suffer for the broken flower.

Teach me God and give me strength

To turn myself into a sea.

And anyone who dares touch my shore-

Let me embrace them with canvas of love.

Teach me God and give me faith,

To see the end of sorrows

And place one heart – to you devoted

At the feet of my Bulgaria.

***

What you have sown, you will reap.

What you have gathered, you will give.

And you will not wonder from the afterlife

whether you were a dream or a longing.

And you will not discover beyond the heavens

that the wind has a Bulgarian heart.

What we were supposed to accomplish,

the Lord God himself will reward.

Dr HC Rozalia Aleksandrova lives in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. She was born in the magical Rhodope Mountains, the cradle of Orpheus. Author of 12 poetry books. Editor and compiler of over 40 literary almanacs, collections and anthologies. She is a member of the Union of Bulgarian Writers. 

Her poems were translated into many languages: Polish, English, Arabic, Spanish, Danish, Korean, Serbian, Italian, Albanian, Percian, French, Mandarin, Romanian, Azerbaijani, Greek, Turkish, Bangla, Hebrew, Duch, Bengali, Russian. Her poems have been published in prestigious collections, almanacs, literary magazines and websites in Bulgaria, Europe and world. In March 2006 she created a poetic-intellectual association “Quantum and Friends” for the promotion of quantum poetry in civil society, Plovdiv and Bulgarian phenomenon. Initiator and chief organizer of the International Festival of Poetry SPIRITUALITY WITHOUT BORDERS from 2015. Every year she publishes one almanac for a Festival.

She is Doctor Honoris Causa of University UNQE – Mexico and member of the Federation of World Leadership and Hi Intelligence, representing Bulgaria. She is in Director`s board of Belgium literary site Atunis Poetry. She is ambassador for East Europe of Prodigy magazine, USA. She is honorary member of WFAI.  She is a winner of the prestigious CESAR VALLEJO Prize for Literature – 2022, 2023 and prize of UHE – Golden Eagle – for Poetry and Peace 2023, 2025. Winner of the Mahatma Gandhi Leadership Award 2022 and others. She was literary advisor in Central Chinese TV from 2023. She is literary consultant of IAETDAA – 2025, USA. She is literary advisor for Bulgaria of PLWV. She was awarded as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for 2025 by the Egyptian magazine Al-Rowad.

Apart from being a poetesse, she is also a scientist. She deals with the study and reflections of quantum and torsion physics in the field of language, poetry, culture, medicine, philosophy and methodology of science. She has published a book with popular science essays “Let’s open the door to the meaning or reflections of information science“, Plovdiv 2015 and new book “The Wonders of the Poetry”, Plovdiv 2025. 

The heart died on the palm

You left me in my mind,

thus I’m so pale,

helpless in a black spider network.

I’m afraid.

Twilight has already fallen to your lips,

and someone was laughing at the corner of the street

At your dilemma

and with the laughter broke

debris.

You stretched out your palm, felt my tears on it.

Thoughts of my silly desires.

My heart died in your palm.

But not!

Even this darkness can’t erase

the longing of old glances.

Nothing calls for us and doesn’t ask.

Each of us is surrounded by a wall.

Tanja Ajtic was born in Belgrade, Serbia. She lived and studied in Serbia. She is a poet and writer but she is also an artist. She also deals with fine graphics. Since 2002, she lives and creates in Canada. Moved to Belgrade, Serbia 2023. Tanja Ajtic is a member of many groups and associations. In Serbia, she is a member of the prestigious Society of Writers of Belgrade. Her poems and stories have been published two hundred collections (books), anthologies and electronic books. Her poems have been published in twelve languages. She published her book Outlines of Love.

She participated with books and anthologies at many fairs in the world with other authors. In 2024 and 2025, Ajtic collaborated with Indian poet Sourav Sarkar on two joint poetry collections that present two works by the poet in one book. – She won second prize in Great Britain from the Serbian Library in London (2019). – She won III World Prize for Excellence ;Cesar Vallejo; 2021 in the category of artistic excellence Lima, Peru, by the World Spanish Union of Writers and International Award of Excellence; from the World Spanish Union of Writers, UHE Mexico. –

She won the I International Award of Excellence Cita Del Glateo; Antonio De Ferrariis, IX edition 2022 – Rome, Italy, a prestigious award in the group of poets for the English language (IX edition of the award for foreign poetry in English) in 2022, Rome, Italy. – Winners of Foundation Naji Naaman literary prize iz 2023; (21 st Edition), from the Republic of Lebanon, Honor Prize (for complete work) for Literary prizes 2023. Poetry for the competition was submitted in three languages: English, French and Arabic. – Winning the 2023 “Zheng Nian Cup” Literary Award – Third Prize by the Beijing Mindfulness Literature Museum, China. – Winning Third Prize, Friedrich Schiller International Literary Competition (2025). She is the winner of many awards, diplomas and certificate. She is currently writing poetry, short stories, haiku, Gogyoshi poetry as well as graphics artist as a freelance artist.

PRAY

Sometimes it is good to keep quiet

Sometimes talk 

Sometimes it is good to go 

Sometimes stay

Sometimes it is good to read

Sometimes write

Sometimes it is good to see

Sometimes hear

Sometimes it is good to listen

Sometimes tell

Sometimes it is good to laugh

Sometimes cry

Sometimes it is good to fix

Sometimes throw to the winds

Sometimes it is good to love 

Sometimes look

Sometimes it is good to forge ahead

Sometimes stop

Sometimes it is good to live

Sometimes understand

It is good when you say that good

Look life ends

Therefore the best

Pray.

Türkan Ergör, Sociologist, Philosopher, Writer, Poet, Art Photography Model. Türkan Ergör was born 19 March 1975 in the city of Çanakkale, Türkiye. She was selected International “Best Poet 2020”. She was selected International “Best Poet, Author/Writer 2021”. She was selected International “Best Poet, Writer/Author 2022”. She was awarded the FIRST PRIZE FOR THE OUTSTANDING AUTHOR IN 2022. She was awarded the 2023 “Zheng Nian Cup” “National Literary First Prize” by Beijing Awareness Literature Museum. She was awarded the “Certificate of Honor and Appreciation” and “Crimean Badge” by İSMAİL GASPRİNSKİY SCIENCE AND ART ACADEMY. She was awarded the “14k Gold Pen Award” by ESCRITORES SIN FRONTERAS ORGANIZACIÓN INTERNACIONAL.

I am a wanderer

(From the story of a troubled person)

My shoulders are supported by the unshakable oppressions,

I have fallen from the weight of this world in sorrow, I am a wanderer,

My songs remind me of forgotten mercy,

I am a wandering dervish, I play the lute like a wanderer, I am a wanderer!

I longed for the sweet path of love, I could not see it,

When others rejoiced, I cried, I am a wanderer.

Who wrote fate, I could not solve this mystery,

I got lost in the jungle, I remained helpless, I am a wanderer.

My path is long, winding, with a lot of loyalty,

The mountains are covered with fog, blocking my path, I am a wanderer.

Who will reach the dream of life with this journey,

Even if I turn my face to the path of truth, I am still a wanderer.

Elmaya Jabbarova – was born in Azerbaijan. She is a poet, writer, and translator. Her poems from 2019 to date were published in the regional and foreign newspapers, magazines, books, Web. pages, Anthologies. She has been awarded many certificates diplomas, medals. She is the Department manager of Hekari, a newspaper of Azerbaijan. She is a honorary member of the Writers of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. World Association of People’s Creators, Honorary member of the International Academy of Literature, Art, Culture and Social Sciences of Uzbekistan. She is an Academic. Appointed Coordinator, Secretary General of Azerbaijan, Argentina. She is presented in the book Famous Personalities MultiArt – 5, Argentina. She was a member World Poetic Fraternity. She was awarded the title of Global Poet of 2023; 2024. She was awarded the title of World Poet Laureate from Azerbaijan as one of 55 poets selected by Pentasi B Friendship Poetry for 2025.

Keepers of the Small and Sacred

The children do not start the wars

yet they inherit the silence after.

Where laughter once lived,

now echoes learn to whisper.

Small hands clutch memories

instead of toys; lullabies break

beneath the sounds of what was lost.

And still—somewhere inside them,

a flicker refuses to go out,

a softness the world could not take.

So we must be the keepers,

remember them back into wholeness.

(Lucille A Laroche, USA)

Children carry the echoes

of what the world whispers to them,

soft currents moving inward

where their small hearts listen.

We owe them harbors of safety,

places where fear cannot anchor,

where they can breathe again

and remember how to grow.

Equality asks for courage—

a choice to lift the fragile,

to guard the future gently

when the cost is far too high.

© Shannon Scoates 

© Lucille A LaRoche

Shannon Scoates is a Canadian poet and intuitive writer whose work is rooted in nature, mysticism, and channeled guidance. Influenced by childhood storytellers like Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm, as well as poets such as Emily Dickinson, Maya Angelou, E.E. Cummings, W.B. Yeats, Robert Frost, and RR Token author Terry Brooks, she began writing at age ten as a way to express emotion and truth. Shannon is also an energy healer trained in Reiki, colour, sound, and vibrational therapy, and she is passionate about helping women find their voice through writing and spiritual connection. A devoted advocate for children’s literature and animal rights, she carries forward the encouragement of her Grampa and Grama, whose spirit continues to guide her creative path. Her first book is currently in development.