HARINDER CHEEMA

 

 

Tell Me, Oh! Author Of Time

 

What should I ask for?

Tell me, oh! the Great Giver

Should I ask for a palatial house

Will I be able to carry it on the other side of the river

Or should I ask for fame or beauty?

Will it last for eternity?

Tell me, oh! Author of Time

Eternally can I live in 'youth prime"?

And will these adornments make my dust shine?

What should I collect in my vessel and what should I lose?

What kind of protection will spare me from the noose?

Tell me, oh! Creator of all the worlds

Is there a way which leads to your abode?

Show me that way this time by illuminating my heart

So that my soul celebrates its flight when from the mortal world I depart.

 

I Found Peace

 

I found Peace sitting in a shroud in the graveyard

Hiding from the world in pitch dark

"Do you live here”? I dared to ask

Without lifting the shroud "Peace" began to talk

That He has found refuge amidst the dust

That is free from Desire, Greed and Lust

He said he lives among the dead

The wind lifted the shroud to reveal his bleeding head

Broken and shattered Peace clutched the cloth

To save himself from people's wrath

I lifted His shroud and cleaned the blood

I promised to rescue Him from the world of the dead

I told Him that in my verses He could reside

And then there would be no need to hide

Peace can be killed time and again

But eternally lives in "Voices Sane"

Peace is my companion, my eternal friend

And together we will transform every end into a bend.

 

HARINDER CHEEMA

 

HARINDER CHEEMA is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning poet, novelist, author, editor, anchor, and motivational speaker. A distinguished Naji Naaman Laureate, she is recognized among prominent global literary voices and has been featured in 50 Memorable Women, Asia by the Stockholm Project. Her work has also been showcased by the prestigious Arsala Academy, Greece and Café Philo, New Delhi and her name and work finds a place of pride in "Vibrant Voices", a poetry anthology of contemporary Indian Women poets published by the Sahitya Akademie. Her poetry has been translated into numerous national and international languages, reflecting its wide resonance across cultures. As a motivational speaker, she has been invited by several colleges and universities across India, where she inspires audiences with her literary insight and thought leadership. She has also graced various national and international literary festivals as a distinguished guest. With a rich body of work and a profound literary presence, she is a proud recipient of numerous awards, accolades, and recognitions in the field of literature.

 

 

PARVINDER NAGI

 

 

Scattered Verses

 

I left my thoughts like paper in the wind

Half-written lines that never found their end

They drift through streets I’ve never walked before

And tap like memory against a closed door

The sky forgets the colors it once wore

Yet paints them softly on the evening floor

I try to gather what my mind has spun

But words keep breaking into one by one

A scattered self in fragments, thin and wide

With echoes of what I once tried to hide

Still, in the chaos, something stays the same

A quiet pulse that answers to my name.

 

Majestic Brilliance

 

I am the poised fragrance in the room

A steady brilliance that refuses gloom

Not seeking approval, not chasing a crown

Yet somehow, I lift every gaze looking down

I am the rhythm that time can’t ignore

A quiet command without needing more

I do not compete, I simply arise

Like dawn that unfolds in unhurried skies

I am the elegance written in air

A presence that lingers everywhere

No effort required to prove I belong

The world just adjusts when I am strong

I am the balance of softness and might

A graceful unfolding of radiant light

Unbruised by opinion, unbroken by fear

I remain even when nothing is clear

And I am enough, as I already stand

A masterpiece shaped by no mortal hand.

 

PARVINDER NAGI

PARVINDER NAGI is born and brought up in Mombasa, Kenya, East Africa. Parvinder has dedicated her career shaping the minds of future generations as a principal. Parvinder is a national award winner from NCERT, New Delhi. Parvinder is an author of a poetry book, “UNFATHOMED SECRETS”, a heartfelt collection of 100 poems from the abyss of her heart. She is a recipient of many literary awards. * An ambassador for peace in the world poetic fraternity, * The Global Peace Ambassador Awards, * Literary Ambassador Awards * Honorary Doctorate Awards *An Ambassador for Indian Culture Insight Magazine. Parvinder has done many collaborative poems. Her poems are translated into various languages across the globe. Her poems are published among 231 great noble world poets, in the book “WORLD CONTEMPORARY POETS VOLUME 2”, also published in Turkish in “Poets from The World”, then in Global Change Makers” and in “The Women - Global Poetic Gems" a collection of lyrical poems by international poets and yet into many more anthology books. Parvinder has translated a historical chronological book, from Kosovo, written by Dibran Fylli “Prekazi Brezni Trimash-HE IS ALIVE”. And another poetry book of selected poems “A caress in the soul” of a renowned author, writer and editor Angela Kosta from Albania, into her mother language Punjabi. Parvinder’s poems are music to the heart that express different aspects of life, using different styles and themes giving pleasure to the readers.

 

 

 

XRYSOULA FOUFA

 

 

Human Life

 

The spirit of life is carried away

in the wind of the universe

that blows softly or hard

in the course of time

full of past memories

and future dreams.

Birds sing their songs

as human hearts do.

Every teardrop can become 

a blossoming smile one day.

©® Xrysoula Foufa

 

A Barefoot Hero

 

Particles of dust

smiled at the foot passing.

They sensed the wind of freedom.

Tree leaves cracked

under the foot pressure

but smiled happily.

They understood

the way of living unbound.

The butterflies noticed the movements

and tried to keep pace with.

The birds praised the efforts

looking from above.

The man continued walking

among the stones of his heart.

He took strength barefoot

to get rid of his soul burden.

The touch on the earth

sustained his breathing.

The soil made him an everyday hero.

He would never give up.

©® Xrysoula Foufa

 

ΧRYSOULA FOUFA

ΧRYSOULA FOUFA: She was born in 1971 in Farsala Greece. She graduated from the Department of English Language and Literature of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki with honors in 1993 and then worked as a tutoring school owner for 6 years. After that, she successfully passed the ASEP exams and was appointed to the high school in Astakos Messolongi. She has been teaching   English in the 1st General Lyceum of Farsala since 2000. She attended various seminars on her subject as well as on psychology, computing and environmental protection issues. She loves literature, poetry, travelling and dancing. She writes poems in Greek and English.She has been awarded several poetry prizes in various poetry competitions in her country and abroad so far. Her poems have been included in Poetry Anthologies, newspapers, magazines, online magazines. Some of her Greek poems have been translated into Portuguese and English. She participated in International Poetry Festivals. She is a city councillor and an ex-vice mayor in her town. She had been the president of a local cultural club concerning Epirus traditions and customs for six years (2018-2024). She is a member of the Board of the Academy of Farsala and a member of the Board of the Chess Club in Farsala.

 

 

HONG NGOC CHAU

 

 

Mother’s Words To Daughter

 

1

 

Hey! Mom has passed my youthful age

I hope you’ll fall in a good love indeed

Please, knowing love, miss, and tell me,

I help you know the love word, you see

 

2.

 

What is difficult for your understanding

Like it's sometimes sunny sometimes raining

Don't be afraid to tell me, your mom understand

I have experienced matter, do you understand?

 

3

 

If you really love, should be brave ever

With all your heart, you give your lover

Silently enduring and quitting means no hope

Multidimensional feelings when knowing love

 

4

 

Misunderstand, you’re jealous and get angry

You have doubts in mind that vibrate already

Men really know to love you the most, you know

They clearly consider that they never dumbfound

 

5.

 

Let you be not jealous of other women it happens

Let you have no half-truth, half doubt, in the end

If they don’t love you, your jealousy is useless

I advise you to keep calm, indifferent indeed

 

6.

 

If they really love and understand you

They don't let your tears flow, it is true

You beg only to make yourself miserable

To be bored to think, sadness is possible

 

7

 

Love is not often a hasty thing

But a voluntary heart is giving

Care and respect from both sides

Share emotion is sweet and nice

 

8

 

Remember human words like the breeze

Don't listen to the others’s empty promise

Love is together action in harmony

Before and after value all are safety

 

9

 

Let love the man that you desire

Go your way, I can’t say as ever

If you have bliss and a good grace

Get married, it’s clear for your fate

 

10

 

You’re steadfast, faithful for your lifetime

Love together needs to be a sincere mind

With enthusiasm, the future will be built

East Sea is small, compared to your will

 

12

 

To be timely do not daydream too!

You need to think smart, it is a clue

You must avoid doing a wrong thing

To lose your springtime, fake loving

 

13

 

Women need also some careers

You should strive for your future

Focus, firmly do business in mind

Self-control, a peaceful mind in life

 

14

 

Four qualities for a girl, you have enough

Faith, enthusiasm, you have an ideal love

My dear daughter! If you meet a good grace

Bliss is in your hands! You should embrace

 

Women Like A River

 

1

 

Deep in my heart a lot of memories truly

I miss my gentle mom in my heart really

The vicissitude life of mom's life exists

Endured misery storms all are passes

 

2

 

Mom's life is like a dry river so thin

My soul condensed for the longing

I find a place to require my mom forever

Who knows when an up or down a river

 

3

 

Who knows shallow and deep a river

If deep all of you should care forever

It would help you sharpen your mind

Think quietly to avoid all faults in life

 

4

 

You greet people and life, don't be in the hurry

If rice boils reduce the heat, rice is deliciously

Deep water shallow water depends on a reality

You should know if deep to protect the safety

 

5

 

All life tells us to be careful at bends

rivers seem to remind you of bends

Cleverly deal with the situation you see

The situation is compatible, no worries

 

6

 

All the blue rivers are like women

How to know it's down or up then

You need to know and very wisely

Take charge of situations so wisely

 

7

 

You look around at the women in charge

It is like an observer in the river in charge

Two banks’ sides of landslides and accretion

Know how to wriggle on river water motion

 

8

 

In short, human life is like all the wave

Rain and wind bring the joy of a wave

It's up to women to manage their beliefs

Nothing is afraid to achieve their beliefs

 

HONG NGOC CHAU

 

HONG NGOC CHAU:  Her true name is NGUYEN CHAU NGOC DOAN CHINH. Her pen name is HONG NGOC CHAU. She is a Master of Education Management, a member of the Ho Chi Minh City Writers Association (Vietnam) and an Honorary Doctor of Literature and Humanities of the Church and the University of Prixton. Executive member of W.U.P (World Union of Poets), General Council of the World Union of Poets with SILVER MEDAL for Researcher (14th medal of the World Union of Poets), VISHWA BHARATI Associate - India (Vishwabharati Research Center), International Ambassador of the International Council of Writers & Artists, Administrator, Coordinator, Group Expert of many literary forums around the world;

SUMITRA MISHRA

 

 

Pitch Fever

 

They shone like stars

Pele, Maradona, Messi, Mbappe,

In classic contests on the field

One leads and the other trails

But the penalty kick decides

Who would lift the World Cup

At Qatar!!!

 

Exhilarating matches in packed stadiums

A test of nerve and skill

Amid the pitch fever and feverish pitch

They conquered or were vanquished

But who is the hero and who the zero?

 

Fairy tale victories by Morocco

Inspiring the underdog African nations

Super yachts of Dubai at sky high prices

Free flowing champagne and Scotch

This World Cup surely raised the temperature

Of nations and fans, of FIFA and Fernandez

It proved that all are equal on the field

Below poverty line countries or the super-rich !!!

 

Shut-mouthed

 

I learnt soon enough

That to get along

I have to go along!!!

 

Got to humble down

Play dumb,

When shut-mouthed

Keep silent

When called a slut

Called a dim-wit

Called careless, useless

Look at the dumb wall

And cement myself into it!!!

 

I knew

Someone was testing my patience,

My courage!

 

My friends and family were thunderstruck

By the way I was shut-mouthed,

The way I was derided, debunked,

But I promised myself

I will be silent

And win my goals through silence

Will win over everybody in silence!

 

God made sure

I go ahead of all in silence!!!

 

I shined brighter

Looked more and more beautiful

They looked at me in awe

And wondered

Why was I hiding myself so long

All because of a shut-mouthing,

That made me dumb,

Made me a tortoise

Hiding myself in my shell

For fear of being poked or prodded,

 Thrashed or bulldozed,

But inside my cocoon I hibernated long, sleepless,

Like the caterpillar I meditated and prayed,

Developed wings of imagination

And was born a butterfly

Fluttering in the garden of

Literary Eden,

Silent and speechless, yet

Holding the magic rainbow in my wings!!!

 

SUMITRA MISHRA

 

SUMITRA MISHRA is a Retired Professor of English and a bilingual writer who writes in English and her mother tongue Odia. To her credit she has published six books of poetry titled 1. PENELOPE’S WEB, 2. FLAMES OF SILENCE 3. THE SOUL OF FIRE, 4. STILL THE STONES SING, 5.THE RED MOON, 6. ROSES AND BRUISES, 7. WHISPERING SHADOWS 8. THE EBBING TIDE and a short story titled REMENISCENCE. Dr. Mishra has also written poetry, short stories, plays, prose and translation books in her mother tongue. Her published English books are 12 in number and 35 in Odia. Her poems and stories have been published in many reputed magazines and e-zines in both Odia and English. She is editing a women's magazine in Odia titled SMRUTI SANTWONA and a magazine on Sri Jagannath cult PANCHAJANYA. She is a Rotarian and President of Rotary Club of Bhubaneswar New Horizon. She is a member of many esteemed Literary organizations like Utkal Sahitya Samaj ( since 1903) , Shantanu Acharya Foundation Trust, Sweta Sanketa Trust.  She is a life member of Odisha Lekhika Sansad.  She is an avid blogger and her blog is www.Smiling Sumitra.com, where she posts videos of her English and Odia poetry as well as short stories and chants.

 

 

CINZIA PANUCCIO

 

 

 

If You Want Peace...

 

If you want peace,

do not kill with words.

If you want peace,

do not take up weapons.

Burn them

until they turn to ashes

under a crust of toasted bread

and warm milk to feed the enemy.

If you want peace,

do not bury brothers,

but use your hands to give them life,

as a painter

does with watercolors before a canvas.

If you want peace, do not fight.

Disarm hatred

with purity of heart.

Do not support those who want war and spread terror.

But let pain and resentment be swept away by love.

If you want peace,

don't look at the color of your skin,

let this be a beam of stars

so powerful it lights up the world,

may the stranger have your face,

your eyes and your breath

like sea crystals or your garden,

may your tongue be a bridge of peace

not a cross on which one cries and is silent.

If you want peace, listen to it,

whisper it to the wind,

even if at times it seems to have a slow pace.

                                                                                                         

I Will Speak To You Of Love...

 

I will speak to you of love, softly whispering

of false promises, of shooting stars,

of dazzling smiles and absurd silences.

I will speak to you of hidden and profound glances

or brazen crystals shining between drooping eyelids,

of naked bodies and overflowing passions,

of a life of regrets, defeats, and multiple mistakes,

of your thoughts and your imperfections.

Of something that can't be explained

and irremediably escapes reason,

of trembling hands clasped together with your mind elsewhere.

I will speak to you of love in days faded by time,

of the roaring song of the sea,

of small steps capable of making you tremble,

of sunsets and nights that make you blush,

of that fire that burns the soul and lets you slowly die.

I will speak to you of the love that doesn't ask, that doesn't ask questions,

that plays hide-and-seek

between the visible and the invisible like a lover does,

between the certain and the uncertain but extraordinary like dawn in the desert,

of your bare feet so light,

capable of crossing my thoughts,

of your innocent skin that smells of honey under the covers,

of the tone of your voice, so bitter and so poignant.

I will speak to you of love a thousand times and a hundred more

I will tell our story like an intense thrill,

no, I will not speak to you of love like hell,

but I will shout your name

and that I love you even in the darkness of silence.

 

CINZIA PANUCCIO

 

CINZIA PANUCCIO holds degrees in Law and Social Services and, on 25 March 2026, she also earned a qualification in Criminology. Her legal, social and criminological education is intertwined with a personal and cultural journey founded on the defence of human dignity, legality, solidarity and memory. Firmly opposed to a society shaped by indifference, she has made social commitment and volunteering a concrete mission, devoted to protecting the most vulnerable and promoting a fairer and more responsible community. She is also actively involved in raising awareness of blood donation through AVIS. Her civic commitment has also extended to environmental protection. She led the association “Fare Ambiente Calabria” with determination, supporting initiatives dedicated to the common good, the protection of the natural environment and animal welfare. At national level, she assumed responsibility for the “Laudato Si’” section of the European association “Fare Ambiente”. In 2019, she received a Certificate of Appreciation from the International Columbia Association, Fire Department City of New York, in recognition of her environmental commitment. In 2023, she was also presented with a limited-edition commemorative medal by Cav. Vincent A. Tummino, President of the same association, for her constant contribution to legality and respect for human values. Cinzia Panuccio’s artistic journey arises from the encounter between civic consciousness, poetic sensitivity and close attention to the wounds of contemporary society. Her writing addresses themes such as justice, memory, suffering, redemption, motherhood, peace, the protection of rights and collective responsibility. Within her literary journey, poetry becomes both a space of testimony and a means of inner reconstruction: a voice that denounces injustice, offers consolation and calls humanity back to dignity. This vision has progressively shaped a distinctive and intense literary production, founded on the dialogue between personal experience, social commitment and universal values. She has been interviewed several times by Cav. Josephine Buscaglia Maietta, President of AIAE, on WRHU, the radio station of Hofstra University in New York and recipient of the 2021 World Radio Day Award, as well as by Allora! Australian Newspaper. In 2026, some of her poems were published in the Albanian literary magazine Miriade, directed by journalist Angela Kosta. During the same period, her poetry was also featured in the Turkish magazine Güncel Sanat, whose director is also the publisher of Baygenç Kitap publishing house. Over the years, she has received numerous literary and cultural honours. Her poem “Mediterraneo” was awarded first prize and a gold medal at the 30th edition of the “Angelo ed Angela Valenti” Competition in 2023. The Mario Luzi Foundation selected some of her poems for publication in the 2025 annual volume of the Encyclopaedia of Contemporary Poetry, choosing them from among the works of more than 6,000 participants. She received the 2025 Sicilia “Donna In” Award in the “Legality and Memory” category, as part of the Federico II Prize. Her book La forza non è mia was nominated for the 2025 Premio Strega and won first place in the 2025 competition “L’eco dei comuni e delle comunità”, organised under the patronage of the Senate of the Italian Republic. In 2025, she also won first place at the 16th Navarro International Prize with the fairy tale Erebia Madame Fifì e lo strano viaggio, published on 13 December 2025 by Kimerik publishing house. Since 16 July 2025, she has been included on the online Wikipoesia platform as a poet of international importance. At the 2025 International Kindness Award, her poem “In nome della legge” was selected to open the event and was published and distributed in Italy by the FSP Police Union and internationally by the I.P.A. – International Police Association. During the same year, she was appointed Ambassador of Solferino Culture in the World. In 2026, her literary and cultural journey was further enriched by important international honours. She received the International Academic Diploma in Artistic-Literary Sciences and Global Peace from FIDEPA-UFIVIBA in Venezuela; second place at the third edition of the International Excellence Award “DivinaMente Donna”, promoted by VerbumlandiArt APS and the International Academic Senate; and an Honorary Doctorate in Literature, specialising in Poetry, conferred by the World Federation of Arts, Literature, Education, Peace and Culture – FEMALPC. She was also appointed Baluarte Ilustre de la Unión Literaria 2026 by the international literary collective “La Voz de Tus Escritores” of Tucumán, Argentina. She received the Platinum Certificate of Merit for her poem “Among the Mountains” and was appointed an Honorary Member of the International Confederation of Poets United for the World – CIPUM, Peru. Her additional international distinctions include the Certificate of Participation in the Art and Poetry Contest “A Celebration of Creativity, Heritage and Healing”, promoted by the Government of the State of Birland on the occasion of the eleventh anniversary of the foundation of the State of Birland. She also received the Special “Ultrabardista” Recognition during the Fourth World Poetry Event 2026, awarded by the Fundación Amazonía Productiva de Ecuador – Poetas Intergalácticos, representing Italy in Quito, Ecuador. Cinzia Panuccio is also the recipient of the Golden Lion for Culture and Literature awarded by the MAF – Menotti Art Festival Spoleto, Special Culture Project Venice 2026, in association with the Literary Fair for the Promotion of Arts and Culture. Her literary profile is distinguished by the close connection between social commitment, poetic vocation, national and international recognition, and a continuous cultural activity that regards the written word as an instrument of testimony, memory and civic responsibility.

 

ASTRIT LULAJ

 

 

Monologue (S.O.S)

 

In truth...,

I know not if you will believe me...

I felt a tremor...

The earth beneath my feet shook.

And it was no earthquake.

Believe me!

The earth rotates no more,

the globe has grown old, weary of its race.

 

On the clock's face, I see no hands,

Hour zero.

On the clock's face, an empty space,

I see a planet

risking to drift out of orbit.

What fatality!

Archimedes’ challenger, at last, steps onto the stage,

imposing physical law upon the planet of life.

Arrogant.

And he tramples upon the human soul,

as long as he reigns as lord of the universe,

he, the challenger, the wicked man.

 

The wicked man sprouts everywhere,

like weeds in a field forgotten by its master,

a virus of evil spreading from his touch.

The wicked man ascends the throne

and will not easily step down.

Pity the righteous, who expects good from him.

As heavy as sin and darker than death,

the wicked truly weighs heavy

and cannot be easily uprooted...

As many times as Mother Teresa departed for "the other world,"

so many times, she returned to life as a guardian angel.

One wicked man weighs as much as a president.

 

Under his weight, the globe is crushed at the poles,

our planet spins on mere inertia.

S.O.S!—for human life,

our life is in peril.

The Earth is being overrun by the wicked.

I see people running in fear, praying each day:

—Save us, Lord! If not on Earth,

at least keep us in the galaxy!

 

Moonlit Night

 

I left the tavern, left it all behind,

Where heavy smoke and wine hung in the air;

Upon the road, so sudden, did I find

You like a breeze that met me unaware.

 

The moon is naked, glowing at its height,

Tonight, we wander, lost in blissful grace;

O mighty God, you’re poor compared tonight,

For I have claimed the heavens as my place.

 

The girl is mine, she lingers by my side,

The road is mine, so open and so free;

The moon is mine, upon the wind to ride,

Drunk without wine, that’s what I’ve come to be.

 

With wings of love, so boundless and so bright,

While people sleep and streets are silent, clear,

I pray to God to grant my days this light:

To turn them into nights with moons held dear.

 

ASTRIT LULAJ

 

ASTRIT LULAJ: He was born in Berat, Albania, on November 1, 1968, and has been living in Durrës for more than ten years. He is married and the father of three children. He graduated in Mechanical Engineering and Law from the University of Tirana, but his greatest passion has always been poetry. He has published two poetry collections: "Rrugëtimi i Shpirtit" (The Journey of the Soul) and "Mungon një…" (Something Is Missing…). Currently, two other volumes are in the process of publication. The first gathers his most recent poems written after the publication of his previous collections; the second represents his first work of poetic adaptation into Albanian of foreign poets, both classical and contemporary. He mainly writes in Albanian, but he also enjoys presenting his poetry in other languages. At the same time, he creates poetic adaptations in Albanian of works from world literature, translating them from numerous original languages, including English, Italian, Russian, Spanish, German, Turkish, Arabic, and others, with the aim of introducing and promoting these authors to Albanian readers. His poems have been published in various national and international anthologies. He actively participates in numerous literary poetry competitions, where he has received recognitions and awards from professional juries. His works have been featured in respected literary magazines and platforms both in Albania and abroad.

BARBARA ANNA GAIARDONI

 

 

1st Tanka

 

bullet journal—

wisteria blossoms

dance in the breeze

astounding mistakes

of nature

 

2nd Tanka

 

blades of grass— 

my wishes to the ladybug

before setting her free

whose mind did

I just blow?

 

BARBARA ANNA GAIARDONI

 

BARBARA ANNA GAIARDONI is a pedagogist and award-winning poet whose Japanese-style poetry has been widely published in a vast array of prestigious international journals—including The Mainichi, Modern Haiku, The Asahi Haikuist, Seashores, and Tsuri-doro—and translated into twelve languages. Among her numerous accolades, she is a winner of the 7th Basho Competition, a four-time Touchstone Award nominee (with nominations in 2023, 2024, and 2026), and a recipient of multiple Honorable Mentions at the Fujisan Tanka Contest (2024, 2025). Her work is also frequently featured on The Mainichi's Haiku in English Best list and the European Top 100 list. She is guided by her personal motto: "I can, I must, I want".

•       

HELA TEKALI

 

 

Exploring My Essence

 

Exploring my essence is a daunting task,

In a universe that often feels cold and stark,

Poetic justice becomes a gamble,

Yet I strive to turn my feelings into art that's ample.

 

I cannot fully  grip the depths of my being,

So, I express my heart, unfiltered and freeing,

I heed the whispers of my intuition 's call,

To share the vision of my truth in ways that transcend all.

 

Most of the times I find myself misunderstood,

As I embrace the complexities of my womanhood,

In glimpses I start to unravel my core,

A fragment of the enigma I yearn to explore.

 

What I sense is an eerie, vibrant form of energy,

Not just a fleeting frequency, but pure poetry,

My naked essence unfolds in this true " I Am",

A parallel vision of silence and a muted drum.

 

Drink From The Waters

 

Drink from the waters deep within me, 

Where silence swirls and sets me free. 

I burst, an ocean vast and wide, 

A raging wave no form can hide. 

 

I glimpse the tale of Noah’s ark,

A soaring wave, a mountain’s spark. 

The earth drinks in my pure release, 

To quench a thirst that will not cease. 

 

I swell with tears that Jacob shed,

Through grief and fear, my spirit’s fed. 

I wear Joseph’s coat, now torn and thin, 

And cleanse the sweat of my own sin. 

 

I am the hard stone turned rushing sea,

A prophet’s call, wild and free. 

In cascading drops, I lose my stance, 

Awake to Moses’ staff’s fierce trance. 

 

HELA TEKALI

 

HELA TEKALI: Hela Jenayah Tekali is a Tunisian poetess, novelist, translator and playwright. She has written more than 17 books on fiction and prose. Her third novel entitled " Diaries of a Visionary Poet " is recently published: It is based on the life and works of the most renowned Tunisian poet of all times Abou el Kacem Chebbi.

MARIA MIRAGLIA

 

 

Puppets

 

Sitting on the stone of time

I let the hours go by

crystallising the moment

not to be guided

by the winds

like a dead leaf

but to look beyond

I told the heart to shut up

and turned on the light

of the mind

 

A brushstroke of grey

turned off the bright colours

of day and night

erased from the sky

shades of pink

the nuances of gold and blue

reclined the flowers' corollas

in the fields

as if united by the same pain

and the cries of the birds

in the skies

weren't joyful

 

Puppets, the passers-by

moved by invisible hands

bizarre and stiff, the grimaces,

painted in bright colours

on their stiff wooden faces

in a strange contrast with their legs

in constant motion

in an attempt to touch the ground

under the feet

 

How sad a sight

I said to myself

while feeling the desire to go back

and open my eyes to the sunlight

that so much dazzles

and so much hides

@ Maria Miraglia

 

Only You

 

Distracted by the rain

beating on the rooftops

singing strange melodies

or by the sun

flooding the wheat fields

with its golden rays

by the birds

chirping among

the bright foliage

of the olive trees

only you

enchanted

by the babbling

of the foaming streams

never noticed

time passing

nor did you catch

its reflection in the mirror

so busy were you

doing this

and that

 

Now,

the photographs of the past

tell you

of the years

that quietly flowed by

unaware

back then

that it was life

you were letting slip away

 

The sun warmed the countryside

the rain cooled the air

thunder and lightning announced

another winter

one day fading

another beginning

Now

as wrinkles

trace your face

your thoughts return

to that woman

always absorbed

in so many things

and you ask yourself

whether that was

the happiest way

to spend

the precious gift of time

 

MARIA MIRAGLIA

 

 

MARIA MIRAGLIA is an Italian poet, writer, and advocate of the universal values of peace, dialogue, and human dignity. Her poetry is distinguished by its lyrical intensity, spiritual depth, and contemplative vision, weaving together themes of nature, love, silence, memory, justice, and hope. Her literary work has appeared in numerous international anthologies, magazines, and cultural publications and has been translated into several languages. She has received international literary awards in recognition of the artistic quality of her work and its commitment to promoting peace, compassion, and intercultural dialogue. Maria Miraglia is a member of the International Collective of Poets for Peace and of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, where she belongs to Class III – Humanities (Literature and Arts). These affiliations reflect her dedication to fostering cultural exchange and the universal values of peace through literature. She has been invited to participate in international poetry festivals and literary events around the world. In September 2026, she will be a guest at a world poetry to represent Italy alongside poets from many countries. Believing that poetry transcends borders, cultures, and languages, Maria Miraglia writes to inspire empathy, understanding, and coexistence among people. Through a voice that is both intimate and universal, she affirms poetry as a bridge between hearts and cultures, and as a lasting force for hope, dialogue, and peace.