Treaty, the sound of delicious:
the mouth of History


poem (of sorts)

‘As a rule, easily understood language is not welcome in legal document.’
                                                                                                                        —Thomas King

reason #7643 to keep the judicial system alive and the money flowing, flowing, flowing . . . 
(see lawyer)

epilogue:

trust was breached but not before the land was settled and profits distributed according to a beached whale who turned out not to be a beached whale but a hollowed space used to store the sacred secret that washed ashore many moons ago it had all been decided and there was no Thing that anyone could do to change that and that was That.


poem#2 (of sorts) entitled: take your pick

‘Treaties, after all, were not vehicles for protecting land or sharing land. They were vehicles for acquiring land.’

Or

‘Treaties aren’t the problem. Keeping the promises made in the treaties, on the other hand, is a different matter.’
                                —T.K. again

epilogue:

conclusions?

1.	treaties come with expiry dates?
2.	what treaty was written that claimed the expiry date clause? (see conclusion #1.) check the lost and found.
3.	what is your definition of ‘treaty?’
4.	like rules and promises, treaties are meant to be broken?
5.	take your pick of conclusions and/or create your own, after all, it is a treaty!
6.	they tasted good at the time when the signatures were fresh and runny like sap (blood?), but after awhile they go stale like all organic matter? (see conclusion #1 on expiry date)
7.	did they ‘pinkie promise?’
8.	times change therefore minds change therefore desires change therefore needs change therefore truth is all just an illusion?
9.	what is truth but an outdated concept created by the first prehistoric lawyer in order to feed his expanding insecurities (ego?)?
10.	why is everyone always fighting over me? asked the land—create your own space!


poem#3 (of sorts): untitled or idiot wind (see Bob Dylan’s same titled song)

treaty! treaty! treaty!
     sounds delicious

i disagree!
     sounds controversial

i agree!
     sounds fermented

treaties for everyone!
     treat yourself to a fresh treaty,

said the historical book
     as it opened ever so

slowly so all could see
     what mystery lay inside

but the nasty wind had
     other ideas and shut

the book down
     the pages flapping

flapping flapping
     ripping the promises 

from the hollowed spine
     at the base of the hopeless valley

lightning struck
     again

the same spot (again)
     the hallowed land burying

the remainders alongside the buffalo bones
     bison to be precise

and the divided land was
     reclaimed

born again, some said,
     wholly in the legal and rightful hands of

the guardians of holy books
     they had made

once upon a time
     but never read.


poem#4 (of sorts): leftovers

vroom! vroom! vroom!
     driving around the truth

& all that specious (spacious?) land
     for sale!

come and get it while it is
     still warm and breathing (and precious?)

beep! beep! get out
     of that spacious space

it’s been reserved 
     for a big beached

whale of a good time
     we’ll have

with-out you.

Friday Afternoon With London 


He’s trying to finish some stuff up,

On a Friday afternoon,

Another day at the virtual office,

Reports and budgets and emails and so on,

And he’s having a lot of trouble focusing,

Because London has been struggling to walk,

All day long,

And London hasn’t eaten anything,

Which means she hasn’t taken any medicine,

Which explains why she’s really hurting,

He wants to focus,

On his London,

Knowing that she’s unwell,

Makes his heart hurt,

So he decides to log off for the day,

And then he sits down on the ground,

Next to London’s fluffy pink bed,

So that he can give her some pets.



Rice Crackers


He’s picking up some groceries,

At the co-op,

Mostly shopping for himself,

But he’s also stocking up,

On tamari sesame rice crackers,

He’s been having trouble getting London,

To eat,

Which is a big problem,

Because he’s mixing the pain medication,

Into her food,

Which is the way it has to be done,

And London has been gobbling up,

These rice crackers recently,

So he picks up six packs,

He just wants her to be okay.



First Meal of the Day


He’s back home with London,

Preparing another meal for her,

She’s hardly eaten today,

This time he’s giving her some tuna,

Which is a special treat,

And some of those rice crackers she likes,

London looks at him patiently,

As he prepares her food,

Then he puts her bowl on the ground,

He’s filled with hope and anxiety,

If London eats,

The pain medication can do its thing,

He watches as she examines,

The bowl’s contents,

And then she starts eating,

Quickly and voraciously,

In a couple of minutes,

She’s eaten everything,

Licking the bowl now,

He’s so happy for this small win,

A little after 4pm,

And his daughter’s had,

Her first meal of the day.


Taylor Dibbert is a widely published writer, journalist, and poet. He’s author of the Peace Corps memoir “Fiesta of Sunset,” and the forthcoming poetry collection “Home Again.”

 

Happiness is…

 Happiness! This 4-letter word embodies all the virtues of the world.

   Everyone defines happiness differently.

 Happiness for someone:

 – to achieve a great career;

 – to have a car;

 -use of the latest model phone;

 – construction of a house on the ground floor;

 – to sit at the same table with high-ranking people – happiness!

   But at the moment there are few for some:

 -coming into this world;

 -seeing the sun in the early morning;

 – having breakfast with the family;

 – giving a smile;

 – looking forward to the release of the first book;

 – building a family, raising children, pampering grandchildren;

 – living in love among loved ones is happiness..!

  So, this sentence of the Hero of Uzbekistan Erkin Vahidov can fully reveal the sentence of happiness:

   What else is missing from you?

   Happiness in reality is to win!

   Not everyone is lucky,

   To breathe in the morning!

Nilufar Ruxillayeva, a 1st-level student of foreign language and literature at the Faculty of Foreign Philology of the National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek. Argentina’s Juntos por las Letras, Egypt’s Creativity, Art, Culture Organization, India’s Iqra Fund Organization, India’s All Indian Council for  Organization of Technical Skill Development, Kyrgyz Union of Writers, Member of Kazakhstan “Double Wing” Writers Union, Council for Technical Skill Development, National Human rights and humanitarian federation, Glory Future Foundation member! Official guest of Stars international university conference!

Creative works: published in Great Britain, Uzbekistan, America, India, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Moldavia and posted on the Internet!  She was awarded with a badge and “Letter of trust”.In addition, she participated in the 02.02.2023 issue of “Bekajon” newspaper with her biography!

Kavya Kishor is the winner of the best author category.
She is a practicing child of the “Ibrat” children’s project. The anthology HEART TO HEART was published and put on sale in Great Britain.  FM 101.3 broadcasts “A minute with literature” on Bukhara radio.

Another Peacock

        A non-exclusive Release of 
         Heartfelt that Matters

    My Rest comforts 
                   Time's Engine 

 The staggering rhythm 
        that rests  in  Awe
        of   LOVES Rising 

            •          •          •

           Daylight upon 
       Soothed that knows
    That knows in the Quiet 

 Appreciate a gift 
poured from the Timeless 
      Oceans 
                 of
                    LOVE 



 by John Edward Culp 
      March 11, 2023

Welcome to March’s second issue of Synchronized Chaos!

Our friend and collaborator Rui Carvalho reminds us about our Nature Writing Contest for 2022.

This is an invitation to submit poems and short stories related to trees, water, and nature conservation between now and the April 1st, 2023 deadline. More information and submission instructions here.

This month, Synchronized Chaos’ contributors explore our senses and perceptions of the world, and how we process them through thoughts and feelings.

Channie Greenberg sends us colorful images of marine and freshwater fish in various settings, while Mark Young’s non-representational art revels in the joy of line and color. Michael Barbeito aims to capture the spirit, or the essence, of the scenes he depicts. Nathan Anderson provides a visual rendering of a cacophonous stereo sonic landscape.

Jim Meirose crafts a surreal doctor’s visit that goes awry, while Martina Gallegos relates an anecdote about a pigeon who flies into an elementary school classroom, to the wonderment of the children.

Faiza Yahaya Maibasira’s poetry expresses her awe at life, friendship, and love. Sayani Mukherjee’s piece depicts a mystical union with nature or a lover, while John Edward Culp’s piece reflects the otherworldly ecstasy of true love, which includes grace given for the times when he falls out of sync with his partner.

Emina Delilovic-Kevric also speaks to creation and spiritual questing on a more intimate, personal level, within an uncertain world.

Aliyu Umar Muhammad relates her inner spiritual journey to find beauty in tumultuous surroundings, while Lewis LaCook provides a meditative look at life when we slow down to nature’s timescales.

J.D. Nelson’s haikus on ordinary subjects convey a bit of mystery and curiosity, while Karol Nielsen writes of the ironic and incongruous moments of daily life.

Susan Hodara explores the different ‘itches’ we experience, which becomes a meditation on the nature of desire. Daniel De Culla probes our human foibles and transgressions in his piece on the locals at a village cafe.

Jaylan Salah profiles Egyptian rapper D.A.R.KK. and discusses the appeal of his original songs, sharing both joy and struggle.

Christian Emecheta’s sci-fi piece conveys how we can manage the dangers of deep emotions rather than suppressing them and losing part of our humanity.

Mahbub Alam develops a more balanced perspective on life when he stares out at the moon, and then, later, when he remembers the brave history of his home nation, Bangladesh.

Farok Faisal literally “reflects” on himself by looking in a mirror, wondering how age has changed him. Santiago Burdon’s protagonist confesses and expresses remorse for an action born of hate and ignorance that shamed him for decades.

Joseph Wechselberger relates how we serve as spectators to various types of trauma. Sarah Burgess expresses her inner anguish at being excluded and viewed as a burden, while J.J. Campbell processes his life’s losses with a mixture of defiant nostalgia and despair.

Peter Cherches speaks to wear and tear over time, of machinery and relationships. Mesfakus Salahin reminds us that while death is a part of our existence, it does not carry the last word.

Mario Loprete consigns pieces of our modern urban landscapes to posterity by sculpting them in concrete. A. Iwasa also addresses themes of cultural preservation with his review of Phil Cohen’s Archive That, Comrade! Taylor Dibbert looks at social media as a modern archive, considering the paradoxical relationships we can have with our digital memories.

Z.I. Mahmud contributes his own personal ‘archive,’ a set of his favorite literary quotes and reflections on historical authors.

Norman J. Olson reflects on his artistic correspondence with Beat poet Charles Bukowski and considers that he’d like to emulate the man’s craft, but not his life.

Maurizio Brancaleoni evokes the difficulty of conveying his literary intentions within his poetry, while Chimezie Ihekuna urges perseverance, in artistic craft as well as in life.

We hope you enjoy the panoply of works included in this issue!