Five One-Line Haiku sky grows darker sunset or storm clouds? — nephew’s 13th birthday whitecaps on the lake — red rocks pink at sunrise I wake up to check my phone — Memorial Day three unsharpened yellow pencils by the dumpster — a crow calls before six you’re early this morning — J. D. Nelson is the author of eleven print chapbooks and e-books of poetry, including *purgatorio* (wlovolw, 2024). His first full-length collection is *in ghostly onehead* (Post-Asemic Press, 2022). Visit his website, MadVerse.com, for more information and links to his published work. Nelson lives in Boulder, Colorado, USA.
Essay from Z.I. Mahmud
Samuel Beckett’s Poetic Drama Waiting for Godot
Write a critical survey of Samuel Beckett’s modern Irish theatrical drama and stage production Waiting for Godot with references to its cultural, theatrical, historical and political contexts.
(Image of two men, one seated and the other standing, with boots and coats, on a rock by a tree.)
Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” is a surrealist and existentialist poetic drama in the anglophone and the francophone traditions. Beckett harnessed the vogue of experimentation by breaking from the stereotypical stylistic forms of artistic expressions but considered concentrating modernism. Vaudeville comedians and archetypal clownish buffoons showcasing their popular slick routines concerning circus antics with props, pratfalls and idiosyncratic discourses bereft of substantive information. This void of meaning is implied in Estragon’s speech-act: “Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes. It’s awful!” Estragon and Vladimir are humbugs and chums passing their idyllic time together upon a somber environment that might have caused themselves to be mutated, disintegrated and superimposed.
Allegorically Becket and Suzanne were desexualized, lackadaisical, lachrymose and lugubrious out of their wits, just waiting for the abominable genocidal holocaust concentration camps to end like the tramps wandering for Godot. Antagonism between Didi and Gogo biographically allegorizes the existentialist antagonism between the symbiotically dependent couple. Counterfeiting dualistic antagonism, Beckett underscores reciprocal friendship in sacrificial subversion of Didi’s earlier response of “Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes. It’s awful!” to afterthoughts of “We always find something, eh Didi, giving us the impression that we exist.” Elemental human experience and fundamental truths of human condition concerning time and evanescence, mysteriousness of existence, the paradox of change and stability, necessity and absurdity have been brought into focus by these pauper-like tramps.
Vladimir and Estragon are the everyman epitomizing archetypes of all humanity; with Vladimir representing the mental spirit and Estragon representing physical spirit exposed to the existentialist dilemma; ie existentialist truths potentially transforming themselves with transcended worldview and manner of living in terms of motivations, ideals, values and behaviour. Thus mind/body duality comprises this composite humanity in these tramps split into two beings with the body and the mind. Their outfits consist of old dress pants, baggy jackets, scuffed shoes and bowler hats. Vladimir is concerned with intellectualist operation upon retrospection and clairvoyance while Estragon is concerned with creature comforts such as materialistic hedonism and sensual gratification. These vagabonds are differentiated selves of a composite being: Vladimir as stalwart of despondency and Estragon as stalwart of presumption. “I’m accursed! …I’m in hell…recoils in horror”, implicates Estragon’s sinisterish hearsay of blasphemy toward the Saviour. On the contrary, Vladimir’s supplication in contextualizing the redemptive quest toward salvation is implied in “It’s Godot! At last, Gogo. It’s Godot! We’re saved! Let’s go and meet him!”
“All my lousy life I’ve crawled about in the mud! And you talk about the scenery! Look at this muckheap! I’ve never stirred from it!” exemplifies the admonishment of nihilistic existentialism embodied in the protagonist Estragon. The less spiritual and the less metaphysical but aesthetic containment of consciousness with the more hedonism and the more materialism. Nation and worldly realms are the domain of Judaism of Estragon waiting for the Messiah while otherworldly and extraterrestrial realms are the domain of the Christian Vladimir waiting for the Messiah. Estragon and Vladimir’s ruminations reveal the philosophizing of humankind in accord with the elusive nature of the mysterious Godot figure. In metafiction these biblical allusions are vestiges of culture corresponding to the parables of the fig tree correlating to wilting and then blooming, and the ten virgins correlating to Vladimir and Estragon’s own suspense while awaiting Godot. 
(Image of two people in black coats and black hats and collared shirts surrounding a man in a striped shirt, pants, and a vest, one on each side).
Further Reading
Biography of Beckett and Conception of Godot, Reviews of Godot in text and in production, Beckett’s friends, pp. 8-23, The friendship of Didi and Gogo in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for The friendship of Didi and Gogo in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, Student Work 8-1-1994, University of Nebraska at Omaha, University of Nebraska at Omaha DigitalCommons@UNODigitalCommons@UNO
Waiting for Godot through the lens of Christian Existentialism, Master’s Theses and Doctoral Dissertations and Graduate Capstone Projects 2007, Eastern Michigan University DigitalCommons@EMUDigitalCommons@EMU pp. 1-107
Poetry from Ranjan Sagar
Manner of Human
Nothing is permanent.
Don’t stress yourself too much.
Because no matter how bad the situation is,
it will be changed.
Satisfied life is better than successful life.
Because our success is measured by others.
But our satisfaction is measured by our own soul,
Mind and heart.
You’re strong when you know
Your weakness.
You’re beautiful when you appreciate your flows.
You are wise when you learn from your mistakes.
Never regret being a good person to the wrong people.
Your manners says everything about you.
And their manner says
Enough about them.
Ranjan Sagar is an Indian poet in Guderpali Bargarh district of Odisha. He is a comedy script writer, multilingual poet, lyricist and an active social activist who has won numerous awards and recognitions. His work has been published in several foreign literary magazines and newspapers. He is a member and ambassador of international literary associations. The purpose of his writing is bringing about progressive change in society.
Poetry from Don Bormon
The Clouds
Clouds float gently in the sky so high,
Soft whispers of dreams as they drift by.
They gather in clusters, then break apart,
A canvas of wonder, a work of art.
White and fluffy, like cotton they seem,
Or dark and heavy, with a storm's gleam.
They dance with the wind, in a graceful flight,
Changing shapes in the morning light.
Some bring rain, a refreshing kiss,
Others shade the earth in a moment of bliss.
They tell tales of lands far and wide,
Of mountains, oceans, and the world's great tide.
Don Bormon is a student of grade nine in Harimohan Government High School, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh.
Poetry from Engin Cir
Two Broken Hearts Staying away from you is torturing me Be a little flirty, is there any need for coyness While I have opened the door of my heart to you Let two broken hearts come together If you want to extinguish my burning heart This cry of mine is for you, this is a loud call Break your horse with spur towards me Let two broken hearts come together You never show it, you have no words about love You have turned to ashes, as if you have no embers to ignite Either you are too hesitant or you have no eyes for love Let two broken hearts come together Don't destroy this ruined heart of mine anymore Come hide in my heart and don't come out anymore Come on, hold my hands, don't look helpless anymore Let two broken hearts come together NIGHTS DON'T PASS Nights don't pass, they don't pass Is it possible to get you out of my mind Fall into a sleepless night I hope you'll understand me then You're not on one side, longing on the other My poor mind is wasted without you If you're left like me in a lonely inn I hope you'll understand me then When your eyes suddenly fill with tears Don't think that troubles will end in the morning When you're left in trouble like me I hope you'll understand me then If the thing you call life disappears one day If love, respect, everything ends one day If separation comes one day I hope you'll understand me then Is it certain to reap what you sow What do you expect from unkempt soil If an old picture makes you cry I hope you'll understand me then Engin Çir was born on October 29, 1954 in Samsun. He played the alto saz in the school band for two years during his middle school years. In 1970-1971, he continued as a vocal artist in the Samsun Folk Music Association, conducted by Umit Bekir Ağa, for two years. He learned to play the saz on his own. In 1972, he joined the Samsun Music Society Choir, conducted by Taner Cağlayan, and continued his work uninterruptedly until 1979. He entered the Samsun Municipal Conservatory, which was established in 1979. During his four-year education, he took solfeggio and theory lessons from Ali Ozdolap, Ali Özgümüş, Cavit Ersoy, Dr. Turgut Tokaç, Fethi Unal, Nihat Alaca, Şadan Ünsal. Between 1982 and 1989, he studied at the Samsun He worked as assistant conductor and oud player in the Turkish Classical Music Choir at Ondokuz Mayıs University. He passed the Turkish Classical Music pre-listening exam held by TRT Ankara Radio in the 1979-1980 period with an exception contract. He graduated from Samsun Municipal Conservatory in 1984. Later, he worked both as a vocal artist in the executive board and as a lecturer until 1989.
Short story from Nosirova Gavhar
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.
Poetry from Faleeha Hassan
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.