Bali Hai Ku

surfers ride the waves
backlit by aurora
fronting sandy shores

finch at the window
wanting to duet
but not with me

trekking through jungle
on sunniest of days
stroboscopic

in a swirling fog
moon hides and seeks the temple
ready or not

palm tree branches
pinwheel hours all at once
hands of time gone wild

Expat New Yorker James Penha (he/him) has lived for the past three decades in Indonesia. Nominated for Pushcart Prizes in fiction and poetry, his work is widely published in journals and anthologies. His newest chapbook of poems, American Daguerreotypes, is available for Kindle. His essays have appeared in The New York Daily News and The New York Times. Penha edits The New Verse News, an online journal of current-events poetry. Twitter: @JamesPenha

In Her Eyes 

I never see love in her eyes
I remember that she becomes wise
But this is not fact of life 
Love should expose in her eyes
Never need in love to be smart
A man never forgets his love for good 
A true lover always succeeds in the world of love.

Abdullah Al Mahin is a student of grade 9 in Harimohan Government High School, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh.

Nature 

Everything in nature -- seen the feature. 
Birds fly in the sky, 
Mountains are so high.
Trees are green, 
Water so clean. 
Never betrays
It always gives us right way, 
Don't try to play with it.

Abdullah Al Mamun is a student of grade 7 in Harimohan Government High School, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh.

Dream

Dream is a condition of mind
I really feel anxious when I miss to find
My family members expect that
I would be a doctor
But it is a major fact
If I become a teacher
It is the step of grandmaster
Everybody wants to know my dream
But I say, it is future stream.
Different people, different dreamer
Always moving with their fervor
Dream is not remaining on the bed,
It will be gained with farfetched
It needs to face the reality besides imaginative
Hence, it's going on the proceed.

Nurujjaman is a student of grade 9 in Harimohan Government High School, Chapainawabganj,
Bangladesh.

In the Evening

In the evening the sun sets in the west
The breath of the day
Left in the horizontal blue sky
Then the nature takes its new shape
The birds' chirping as it were
Bids the sun calling--- 
"Good bye", "Good bye", "Good bye" -----.

07 August, 2023

Monira Mahbub is a student of grade 6 in Nawabganj Government Girls' High School, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh.

My Mother

My mother, whose love reaches near and far. 
With gentle hands and a heart so pure, 
She's the anchor that helps me endure.
In her embrace, I find endless grace,
 A comforting presence in every place. 
Her words, a soothing lullaby, In her love, 
I'll never say goodbye. 
Through every storm, she's been my shield, 
A rock, a fortress in every battlefield. 
Her sacrifices, a testament so strong, 
In her love, I forever belong. 
Her laughter, a melody, pure and bright, 
Guiding me through the darkest night. 
Her wisdom, a beacon, shining so clear, 
In her love, I find my purpose, my sphere. 
With every sunrise and each day's end, 
My mother, my confidant, my dearest friend. In her love, 
I've found life's greatest treasure, 
A bond unbreakable, a love without measure.

Tanvir Islam is a student of grade 9 in Harimohan Government High School, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh.

A School 

In a classroom, we gather bright, 
Learning, growing, day and night. 
Teachers guide us, kind and cool, 
Unlocking wisdom's precious jewel. 
Books and pencils, friendships bloom, 
In this place, we chase our room. 
With lessons learned and memories made, 
School's the path where dreams cascade.

Wazed Abdullah is a student of grade 8 in Harimohan Government High School, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh.