That it burns like love, around you and me.

Zdenka Mlinar, a poetess from Zagreb, Croatia, shares her poetry

Zdenka Mlinar lives in Velika Gorica and Zagreb, writing poetry, prose, reviews, and short texts (miniatures, aphorisms, haiku, etc.). She has published eleven solo poetry collections and is a member of several literary societies and associations. She writes in the Croatian standard language, English, and occasionally ventures into writing in Croatian dialects. Her works have been included in the Lexicon of Contemporary Writers from Velika Gorica (2006) and the Turopolje Lexicon (2021). They have been published in more than 200 domestic and international anthologies, collections, and journals. For her work, she has received numerous awards, recognitions, commendations, acknowledgments, trophies, and medals. Her haiku poetry appears in the bilingual anthology of Croatian haiku poetry “Unmown Sky 2” (2008–2018), in the new anthology “Contemporary Croatian Haiku” (2023), in the anthology of Croatian haiku poetry in the Kajkavian dialect “Kajkavian Haiku” (1977–2023), as well as in two World Gogyoshi anthologies. She is listed in the global registry of The Haiku Foundation and has been among the TOP 100 haiku poets in Europe for six consecutive years. She is appointed as an ambassador of peace by the Italian cultural association “VerbumlandiArt”, the European Institute for Roma Studies and Research, and the Association of Roma Writers in Belgrade. Three of her trilingual haiku collections are housed in the Croatian Language Laboratory at the University of Tokyo, the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Tokyo, and the Embassy of Japan in Croatia. She has also participated in projects such as the creation of the “Hyperpoem”, which was included in the Guinness Book of Records, and the Anthem of World Poetry. She is the literary editor and founder of the Zagreb Literary Club “Ilija Kozić Ladin” and its corresponding Facebook group, through which, in honor of the great Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian poet, she organizes poetry events. Her poems have been translated into several foreign languages, and some have even been set to music. She actively participates in numerous art colonies and other humanitarian engagements.

JUSTICE! WHAT IS THAT?

Justice Is there any, what’s the meaning of that word?

How I wish to find it, like a hidden pearl;

Then I would call it the amulet of luck,

Shelter it forever in my beating heart.

To slay injustice with its invisible power,

Not to fear a ghost, water or fire…

What!? You say there is justice, and that it can be,

That it burns like love, around you and me.

But, oh, to me it appears a complete tragedy.

Is it me you are calling pessimistic?

Totally insane, for this World appears idyllic?

That is what I expect of you, unjust kindred,

While I’m mourning eyes of the dying children.

***

CITIZENSHIP OF THE EARTH

Heart and face OF THE EARTH are where I live,

Energy of my body and breath of my lungs;

Mother’s embrace to my child and me.

They are the amulet on roads of our lives,

Unconditional love that has no price;

Crowned with verses, due to the wicked and the soulless.

Earth’s wonders are cradles of our hearts:

Green forests and plains, white rocks, blue eyes…

Citizenship of the Earth is what I want,

May it crucify my sorrow and my joy;

Listen to this mature and crazy woman, World.

If that’s making one

Offended or making them laugh

They haven’t even seen, much less had mother with a heart;

They find love alien, but don’t find hatred a sin.

In that case, an ascetic life I shall live,

With no more than charity of the few;

Holiness of the weak, my life’s altars belong to you.

To children of the World I compose the ode of eternal peace,

Right here, I fold my arms,

As I kneel before them, lit by majesty of stars.

***

LIGHT TRIUMPHS OVER DARKNESS

Light is love and hope, light is life,

We should call it our guiding star, and follow its path.

‘Tis the only way we, too, can be light,

With the benevolent energy to burn bright;

To shine upon the dark matter,

To make life’s shackles as light as a feather,

Encouraged by hope, to make this world better.

That good Triumphs Over evil, we are told,

That’s how it’s been since the days of old.

We carry the spark of good in our hearts

So we can welcome its strength in our open arms.

Eco-friendly, let’s weave a tapestry of green

Where lilies of the valley and daisies grow free,

Let’s smile to life in a spring eternity.

Let’s cherish our one and only Mother Earth

And dispose of all extremes as if they were dirt.

Our love will illuminate Darkness,

Mercy will bloom with our faith and kindness,

With an amulet of luck a new hope will arise,

So sunny smiles return to children’s hearts.

________________

Coordinated by: Angela Kosta Executive Director of the Magazines: MIRIADE, NUANCES ON THE PANORAMIC CANVAS, BRIDGES OF LITERATURE, journalist, poet, essayist, publisher, literary critic, editor, translator, promoter

The post Poetry: Justice! What is that? first appeared on Sindh Courier.

On the way, Andy asked about my native language. I told him it was Sindhi. He asked again, and I repeated, “Sindhi.” He laughed and said, “My sister’s name is Sindhi.” I thought to myself that he must have meant a name that sounded similar, like “Sindi.”

By Abdullah Usman Morai

It was time to leave, so we bid farewell to Durrës and headed toward Croatia, which was about an hour and a half away. On the way, Andy asked about my native language. I told him it was Sindhi. He asked again, and I repeated, “Sindhi.” He laughed and said, “My sister’s name is Sindhi.” I thought to myself that he must have meant a name that sounded similar, like “Sindi.”

We soon reached Fushë-Krujë, a busy commercial town where people were shopping for household necessities. Traffic and crowds filled the streets. Then, we began ascending towards Krujë, a historical city on a hill. The road was winding. Along the way, we passed a shrine—actually, the tomb of Baba Sarı Saltık, a Turkish Sufi.

Arriving in Krujë, we hurried to see the fortress before sunset. The view from the fortress was breathtaking, with mountains, valleys, and the setting sun creating a magical scene. The historic market, the old Ottoman mosque, and the Sufi lodge all gave the city a mystical charm.

After exploring, we sat at a restaurant, where I learned about some traditional Albanian dishes. I enjoyed tavë kosi before continuing my journey.

He told me that Albanians might be the only Muslims in the world who do not face difficulty traveling to Israel because our ancestors helped Jews by offering shelter during their difficult times. I told him that this was new information to me. We then went around some souvenir shops, where there were many businesswomen wearing scarves.

Whenever I see women wearing scarves who are businesswomen or working, I feel that these women are financially independent, and along with that, they haven’t forgotten their religious and ethical responsibilities. In Sindh, for a woman to become financially strong, she has to become a businesswoman. This financial strength is not limited to her but proves to be financial security for her and her family. Whenever I see such women earning a living through halal means, I remember many rural women who used to come to my father’s shop to sell Sindhi cloth, and they still do. They certainly had basic knowledge of business, like negotiating prices and setting prices, etc. Giving money to women or men every month does not help them; instead, it makes them useless. Even in developed countries, people receive money, but it’s not that simple. Money is given to those who have a specific illness preventing them from working or those who are constantly searching for a job, and there’s a whole process to it. In my opinion, people should be encouraged to look for work and put in effort. I believe ordinary people want this, but many don’t get opportunities, and many, disappointed by their environment, continue trying to go abroad.

Anyway, I came back from these thoughts as I was once again in Kosovo. I really liked the city of Prizren, and even though we didn’t want to, we had to leave. Our next destination was the capital of Kosovo, Pristina, and we quickly moved towards it. By the time we entered Pristina, it was almost evening. Khurdi directed me to the parking area near the Pristina Library, and we started walking around. Khurdi pointed out the library building, saying it had an unusual design, with its walls wrapped in iron bars from the outside. I thought about it for a moment, and indeed, it was an odd kind of architecture. Anyway, the city was quite big, and traffic was heavy. The weather was a bit cold. Pristina is Kosovo’s economic, financial, political, and business hub.

I felt happy to be in this new country, which is only 14-15 years old, known as the “newborn country.” However, they still have an ongoing issue with Serbia. As we were touring, we went to see the Mother Teresa Cathedral, outside of which stood a statue of Ibrahim Rugova, a Kosovo Albanian scholar, writer, and politician. There was a lot of hustle and bustle, with people waiting for the dull-colored buses. I noticed that while the country was new, they understood the importance of public transport for the movement of ordinary people. Without public transport, even cars were stuck in traffic.

After touring, we visited the Heroinë monument, a statue made of thousands of pins or needles, each representing an Albanian woman who was subjected to violence during the war between Serbia and Kosovo from 1998 to 1999. Khurdi took some memorable photos there. From the Heroinë monument, we moved towards another famous monument in Pristina, the “Newborn” monument, which symbolizes Kosovo’s new independence. We then walked down the Mother Teresa Boulevard, where various squares were named after famous figures like Alexander the Great and Kosovo’s freedom fighters, with statues of them installed there. By now, it had become quite cold, but people were still out and about. There was a lot of life around, with shops and cafeterias. Temporary souvenir shops were also crowded.

Later, we planned to eat in Pristina before heading back to Tirana. Khurdi suggested a unique restaurant, and I agreed. The restaurant, called Librnia, was about half to one kilometer away. We passed by some important government buildings on the way. The sun had set, and we heard the evening prayer (Azan). Upon entering the restaurant, it felt as if we had entered a tropical rainforest or gone back in time.

All the vegetables served in this restaurant came from nearby farms in Pristina and were organic, meaning no chemicals or fertilizers were used. These organic ingredients made the restaurant stand out from others. The traditional food served there was famous, so we ordered a mixed dish to try a variety of flavors at once. The restaurant was beautifully decorated, with vines hanging from the ceiling, fresh vegetables and fruits arranged on a cart, and old-style plates placed here and there. The food was delicious, and the best part was that it was inexpensive. After the meal, we had tea. Before leaving, I went to the restroom, where I noticed incense burning. I realized that incense could also be used for fragrance in the restroom.

We slowly left the restaurant, and the traffic had increased. Although there were roundabouts, people didn’t pay much attention to them. Slowly, we exited Pristina. As we left, I thought to myself, “Yes, the Newborn country—this is what overcoming a dangerous war and emerging successfully from that process is called, just like how we say, ‘He was born again.'” Khurdi told me that in Kosovo, Muslims regularly practice their religion to maintain their identity, otherwise, there would be no difference between them and others, whereas in Albania, that is not the case. Anyway, late at night, we arrived in Tirana.

The next morning, once again, the same lights, the same places, ready and after having breakfast and some water, I got into Khurdi’s car once again. Our destination was North Macedonia. We left Tirana and started heading south. After leaving the city, we stopped at a petrol pump to fill up the car and have some tea and water. The surroundings were mountainous, and between the mountains, we saw two residential buildings and a mosque. The weather was clear and a bit chilly. A very dignified dog was sitting on the floor of the petrol pump, benefiting from the cold, resting its head on the ground. There was no sign of any threat from a rock or anything coming from afar. Sitting in the car, I looked at the dog and smiled. After that, our journey continued, and after a short while, we kept heading east.

As we passed through Elbasan, Khurdi mentioned that the city is famous for a delicious delicacy called “balokume,” which we should try while passing through. I agreed. At one point, we stopped outside a shop where two women were engaged in conversation. As soon as they saw us, they became alert. The woman wearing a scarf seemed to be the shop owner, and the other woman was from the city who had come to buy balokume. They continued their conversation while we got some of the sweet. Eating balokume reminded me of Sindh, as I recalled buying henna from Mehr, handmade items from Hala, sweets from Ghotki or Naushahro Feroze, halwa from Moro, ice cream from Chacha Abdul Rahman in Sukkur, dates from Khairpur, or cakes from the Bombay Bakery in Hyderabad. As I ate balokume in Albania, I felt like I was tasting all these Sindhi treats too.

Let’s move on with the journey. During the trip, we also passed by old railway tracks still lying there. Khurdi explained that these tracks were mostly used during the communist era to transport minerals to the metal factories in Elbasan. However, after the end of communism in the country, the tracks were abandoned and became part of history, much like how the rail line from Tando Adam to Paddidan in our region has become a part of the past. I remembered traveling on that train from Sukkur to Mory with my late aunt Noor Khatoon, and after reaching Mory, people, after facing a dusty road, would hardly recognize themselves. The last time I saw that train was in 1993 when I saw it through the classroom window at Government High School Mory, sitting on a desk with my childhood friends, Ma’roof Chandio and Nadeem, alias Mor Meman.

The only difference is that in Albania, no one has yet taken the iron from the tracks, and there have been no encroachments. On this side, we also saw stalls selling fresh vegetables and fruits by farmers.

Anyway, we finally reached the border between Albania and North Macedonia, where passports were checked. Afterward, the car was inspected thoroughly before being allowed to cross the border. I realized that it’s better to travel with a fully authorized travel operator and a group of other tourists because if the driver attempts smuggling or any such activities, the other tourists would be safe.

I told Khurdi that I didn’t realize the border would be this strict. He thought that the random checks were mainly due to the presence of young men in the group. Anyway, after a short while, we were near Lake Ohrid, where we had to take a walk around it. Lake Ohrid is one of Europe’s oldest and deepest lakes, at a depth of 288 meters, and home to around 200 different species of aquatic animals. We got out of the car and began walking. Now, we were in the former Yugoslavia, and on the way, we saw old cars, particularly the famous Yugos, still parked in front of houses. The Yugo is similar to our Suzuki FX.

We continued walking and soon arrived at the ancient Hellenistic amphitheater of Ohrid, which was uncovered during excavations in 1980. We stopped for a while, took some photos, and continued our journey. Between the amphitheater and the lake, we saw beautiful houses with red-tiled roofs. Ohrid itself looked quite spread out. But, in the middle of all of this, Lake Ohrid dominated the view.

After that, we took the rocky path leading towards the fortress of Ohrid, which is called Samuel’s Fortress. Khurdi was eager to go inside, but I told him to wait here while I went inside, got a ticket, and climbed the stairs leading to the walls of the fortress. This fortress was like any other royal fort, with the only difference being that in front of the Ohrid fortress, there was a large, beautiful lake. I kept walking from one tower to another on the rocky walls of the fortress, enjoying the view of the surroundings. Far and wide, there was the lake and mountains in the distance. Many other tourists were also there, and at last, a school group arrived with their teachers for an educational tour. I think such educational tours are essential for school children. After spending some time inside the fortress, I came back, and Khurdi asked how the fortress was. I said, “It’s good, especially the view from the top of the fortress is very beautiful.” (Continues)

Click here for Part-1,

_______________

Abdullah Soomro, penname Abdullah Usman Morai, hailing from Moro town of Sindh, province of Pakistan, is based in Stockholm Sweden. Currently he is working as Groundwater Engineer in Stockholm Sweden. He did BE (Agriculture) from Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam and MSc water systems technology from KTH Stockholm Sweden as well as MSc Management from Stockholm University. Beside this he also did masters in journalism and economics from Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur Mirs, Sindh. He is author of a travelogue book named ‘Musafatoon’. His second book is in process. He writes articles from time to time. A frequent traveler, he also does podcast on YouTube with channel name: VASJE Podcast.

All photos provided by the author 

Read: Travelogue: A Winter Adventure in Porto, Portugal

The post Travelogue: Exploring the Balkans – 2 first appeared on Sindh Courier.

In the grip

Of childhood memories.

Goran Gatalica, an eminent poet from Croatia, shares his Haiku poems

Goran Gatalica was born in Virovitica, Croatia, in 1982 and currently resides in Zagreb, Croatia. He finished both physics and chemistry degrees from the University of Zagreb and proceeded directly to a PhD program after graduation. He has published poetry, haiku, and prose in literary journals and anthologies. Gatalica has received many honors for his poetry and haiku, including Award Dragutin Tadijanović, the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts for the poetry book Kozmolom (2017), the honor “Haiku Master of the Month” (Rikugien Gardens and Biei, NHK WORLD TV, Japan, 2016 and 2017), the Basho-an Award (Tokyo, Japan, 2018, 2019, 2023), Katanogahara Monogatari Prize (Katano, Japan, 2023) etc.  He is a member of the Croatian Writers’ Association.

Haiku Poems

A passing freight train

In the grip

Of childhood memories

Snowmelt

Unlocking the life

Trapped in the seed

Entrance to temple . . .

In a weightless quiet

A ginkgo leaf

Ridgeline breeze

The butterflies spilling

From the grasses

A downpour

The cacophony

Of the two rivers

A heatwave—

Kids jump the river bank

In several spots

________________

Read: Tanka and Haiku – Poetry from Italy

The post Haiku Poems from Croatia first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Love and spread

It around,

May Love rule

The world.

Slava Božičević, a renowned poetess from Zagreb, Croatia, shares her poem

Slava Božičević, born in Zagreb, Croatia, studied medicine, journalism, and ecological medicine in Sweden. She worked as a professional in all the mentioned fields both in Croatia and Sweden. She lived and lectured in the schools of Sweden for 30 years. Slava writes short stories, essays, poetry, prose and articles on human rights, world peace and ecology. She is the author of four poetry collections: two are published in Sweden, and the other two in Croatia. Last book ‘In defiance of time’ is translated into English and published in Prodigy edition, Arizona, USA, in 2023. Her poems are found in more than hundred collections, anthologies, almanacs and books published in her homeland and abroad. Her poems are translated into Swedish, English, German, Italian, Romany, Serbian, Macedonian, Russian, Greek and Albania. She has won many awards for her work.

POETS, WRITE ABOUT LOVE

The poets of our

Planet Earth,

The planet that

Is our only home.

You, who have

The gift from

God’s altar,

The gift for promoting lights

Of the Universe…

Poets, switch on the lights in every

Soul…

Let the lights shine to dispel this dark cloud

Towering over

Only planet.

Poets, you have

The keys to opening up

Every soul.

Write verses about Love,

Celebrate Love,

May Love bloom

In every heart.

Poets, you are

The torchbearers

Of light and Love,

You are the Leaders to

A spiritual and

Better world…

Poets, write about

Love and spread

It around,

May Love rule

The world.

___________________

Received from Angela Kosta Executive Director of MIRIADE Magazine, Academic, journalist, writer, poet, essayist, literary critic, editor, translator

The post Poets, write about Love – A Poem from Croatia first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Zdenka Mlinar, a world famous poetess from Croatia, shares her poems  

Zdenka Mlinar, living and working in Zagreb and Velika Gorica, (Croatia), writes poetry and prose, reviews and short texts (miniature lyrics, aphorisms, and haiku). She published ten independent collections of poems and is a member of several literary societies and associations. Her works have been published in more than 200 domestic and foreign magazines, collections and anthologies. She has received a number of awards, recognitions, certificates of appreciation, trophies and medals for her work. Her haiku poems are represented in the bilingual anthology of Croatian haiku poetry “Uncut Sky 2” (2008 – 2018) and in the New Anthology “Modern Croatian Haiku, 2023”. She is registered in the World Register of the Haiku Foundation and has been in the Top 100 haiku poets of Europe for 5 years in a row. She is also the literary editor and secretary of the Velika Gorica “Spark” Artists’ Association and the original founder and president of the Zagreb Literary Club “Ilija Kozić Ladin” as well as the FB group of the same name, with whose members she organizes poetry events in honor of the great poet.

PRAYER

This is our prayer to you, Lord of Creation,

To give us enlightenment and absolution.

So we can ignite a sparkle of hope in the dark,

Bestow on the forsaken a healing spark…

Your love is grand and almighty to us,

Fire is burning in broken hearts,

Amen is in prayers of new daylights.

***

CONFESSION

Confession. It’s not easy to bare yourself,

To place your pain or luck on a table

And watch the feast which would hurt.

To seek solace in belief that cruelty,

Thirst and brotherly hatred are fed,

To spin wearily in that mill…

Since the days of yoree embers of that lava burn unquenched,

Smothering empathy in its smoke,

Extinguishing flames of candles burnt out.

That confession…

Well, it hurts. It hurts!

__________________

Prepared by Angela Kosta Academic, journalist, writer, poet, essayist, literary critic, editor, translator

The post Prayer – Poetry from Croatia first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Danijela Cuc, a poet from Croatia, shares her poems – ‘Tears like a sad river’ and ‘I see in you’.  

DANIJELA ĆUK was born on May 25, 1989 in Vukovar in Rijeka (Croatia). Engaged in poetry writing, she has so far published two books of poetry collections entitled “Positive for Life” and “Strength of Love” and a third collection entitled “Lioness Women” which is in the process. So far Danijela has participated in about 20 joint anthologies of poems. Her poems have been awarded with many diplomas and certificates of appreciation and have been published in international literary journals. In addition to writing, Danijela also volunteers at the hospital. All proceeds from the collection of books sold always go to humanitarian aid.

TEARS LIKE A SAD RIVER

Last night you let the tears flow again,

And turn into a sad river,

In moments when you are alone,

Because you don’t want anyone else to see the pain that breaks your heart.

You hugged the pillow

And found comfort in it,

You felt an indescribable emptiness in yourself and in everything,

You don’t want anyone to see

How much you suffer,

You smile in front of others,

But you bring sadness back

To your heart in solitude.

And I know, it’s not easy for you, no,

Your struggles are too hard

But don’t hide your emotions so strongly in yourself,

Because it will break once like that in you.

You are not weak if you cry in front of

Others,

Just don’t let sadness take away your smile,

Who is human will understand how much it hurts,

A wounded heart that suffers but loves.

Because your heart is full of love for life,

You are the one who believes in beauty,

But sometimes the pain is stronger than

Anything,

And that’s normal, just don’t let your heart give up and surrender.

You wiped away your tears and you keep going,

Everyone sees eyes that sparkle and shine,

But no one knows what is hidden in them

And how much sadness there is in them.

And instead of asking for support you,

You lend a helping hand to others,

You help others even though it’s hard for you,

You are a fighter who is actually stronger

Than any pain!

And in the morning when you wake up and open your eyes,

You know very well that that day will pass,

That’s why you try and fight so hard every day,

Because you are so strong and love life so much.

***

 I SEE IN YOU

I see a lioness in you,

The one who fights all her life,

The one with a smile on her face

Although her heart is burning because of the severe wounds.

I see strength in you,

The one that has no limits,

I see one who is stronger than me,

Which faces with passion the flame of the biggest problem.

I feel that it is not easy for you,

And sometimes she would cry all the tears,

But your love for life

Do not let your strength retreat.

You are extremely brave,

No matter how much life hurts you,

You don’t let yourself and yours down,

Because you are the one who goes on, who bites and who defends.

 And that’s why I want to tell you this,

 Don’t ever change, no

 May the flame of life in you always burn!

 And be proud of yourself! 

_________________________ 

Red: Catch the Wind – A Bouquet of Poems from Croatia

The post Tears like a sad river – Poetry from Croatia first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Slava Božičević, born in Zagreb, Croatia, has education in medicine, journalism, ecological medicine (miljőmedic.studie in Sweden, university).

She worked as a professional in all the above mentioned fields both in Croatia and Sweden. She lived and lectured in the schools of Sweden for 30 years. Slava writes short stories, essays, poetry, prose and articles on human rights, world peace and ecology.

She is the author of four poetry collections: two are published in Sweden, and the other two in Croatia. Last book In defiance of time is translated into English and published in Prodigy edition, Arizona, USA, 2023. Hr poems are found in more than hundred collections, anthologies, almanacs and books published by houses in her homeland and abroad. Her poems are translated into Swedish, English, German, Italian, Romany, Serbian, Macedonian, Russian, Greek, and Albania.

She has won many awards for her work. She has titles doctor honoris causa for literatur/ Serbia, for Peace and Human rights / Lebanon, German, a title Ambassador in few country.

CATCH THE WIND

You came into my life silently.

Like the wind when caresses in passing.

As a gift you were giving me your kisses and verses

Flickering like the leaves of the high tree crowns

Of the green giants.

There where the wind composes its symphonies.

The wind of happiness embraced us for a moment.

Catch the wind and ask him for me!

The harsh words were brought and carried

Away by the storm wind,

Sometimes the wind brings me

The familiar scent of your tobacco.

I have touched the breezy, cobwebby clouds.

I am singing the songs with no words

And the wind brings them to you as my gift.

Catch the wind and ask him for me.

***

THE BLESSED TIME

You have dressed me with your tenderness,

You keep me warm with your ardent love,

You rock me in the arms of happiness.

You have built the nest for me.

You live for me.

I have given you my heart as my gift.

And all me.

I love to disappear in yours arms

And to forget the time.

***

THE SILENCE  

The silence is the ceremony

When the snow falls.

Then it is the quietest.

The silence is full of the universe energy

And it pulsates strongly when

The two are in love and keep silent,

The silence screams when you are restless,

Empty or alone.

The silence is the deepest stillness.

The frozen ocean or the bottom of

The hell when the loved person dies in your arms

I feel the silence with all my senses

When by the silver moonlight I am walking

By the quiet sea and the soundless stars,

These guardians of our secrets are

Twinkling merrily.

Then I greet all those I love

And send them my hugs.

I wave with the greeting even to the beloved

Ones who do not walk along with me anymore.

Because they are somewhere.

There at the unknown address wrapped in the eternal silence.

The silence is the sanctity.

_________________  

Shared by Angela Kosta, an Albania-born eminent Italian poet.

Read also: FEAR – A Bouquet of Poems from Croatia

The post Catch the Wind – A Bouquet of Poems from Croatia first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Jasna Gugić, born in Vinkovci, Croatia, is the Vice-President for public relations of the Association of Artists and Writers of the World SAPS; Global Ambassador of Literacy and Culture for the Asih Sasami Indonesia Global Writers, the Creative Magazine Ambassador for Croatia; and a member of Angeena International, a non-profit organization for peace, humanity, literature, poetry, and culture. She is also co-editor of the anthology, Compassion—Save the World, one poem written by 130 world poets. The last important award with a single nomination for Croatia was awarded by UHE – Hispanic World Writers’ Union – César Vallejo 2020 World Award for Cultural Excellence. Jasna is a multiple winner of many international awards for poetry and literature, and her work has been translated into several world languages. Her first independent collection of poetry was published in 2021, a bilingual English-Croatian edition, entitled Song of Silence. She lives and works in Zagreb, Croatia. Many of her poems have been translated into several foreign languages and are represented in joint collections. Her poems have been published in magazines in the USA, Spain, Greece, Italy, Russia, India, Syria, Denmark, Brazil, Mexico, Bangladesh, Serbia, Albania, Nigeria, Belgium, China, Chile, Nepal, Pakistan, Korea, Germany and etc.

FEAR

I’m standing naked

In front of my own fear.

Only him and me

In front of the mirror of life.

And I’m watching him

With wide eyes opened and

I’m asking him, is he afraid of my ego

And my crazy desire to win.

He looks silently at me, my fear,

Indifferent, without a blink of an eye

Without a heart,

And no hugs.

But now I feel like I’m prevailing,

Crossing all obstacles of self-pity,

And the curses of the evil men in black.

And I feel my big fear shrinking

As I walk on my toes,

Overrunning years of nonsense.

And I was born again

In the glare of the Universe,

Free of burdens of the life

Free to fly, somewhere where

No one can touch my wings

Of dreamer.

***

TONIGHT

Tonight,

 I could only write about

You long,

Tender and incessantly,

Without reason,

Without blinking,

No regrets.

Just like my heart

Without programs,

Without schemes,

No combination.

Because you are,

Of course,

Gentle

And lazy,

But as if I knew everything about

You and you around,

As if it had always belonged to those

Hands,

Eyes,

Hugs.

Tonight

 I could only write about

You and I touch the stars with

My hands

Because you gave me your shine.

***

SADNESS

Tell me

My sorrow,

How to rest

Of life,

Tired,

Like a jewel thief

In a dead end.

How to give

Such a poor guy

Broken hopes

Full of regrets

To make him happy.

Like in a cloud

Full of rainy sorrows

I’m painting a rainbow

Full of life’s joys.

Tell me

My sorrow.

____________

The post FEAR – A Bouquet of Poems from Croatia first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Jasna Gugić, born in Vinkovci, Croatia, she is the Vice-President of the Association of Artists and Writers of the World SAPS, for public relations, Global Ambassador of Literacy and Culture for the Asih Sasami Indonesia Global Writers, P.L.O.T.S. the Creatives Magazine  Ambassador for Croatia. She is a member of many literary associations. She is also co-editor of anthology COMPASSION-Save the World – one poem written by 130 world poets. The last important award with a single nomination for Croatia awarded by UHE – Hispanic World Writers’ Union – César Vallejo 2020 World Award for Cultural Excellence.

Jasna is a multiple winner of many international awards for poetry and literature, translated into several world languages. Her first independent collection of poetry was published in 2021, a bilingual English-Croatian edition, entitled “Song of silence”. She lives and works in Zagreb, Croatia. Many of her poems have been translated into several foreign languages and are represented in joint collections. Her poems have been published in magazines in USA, Spain, Greece, Italy, Russia, India, Syria, Denmark, Brasil, Mexico, Bangladesh, Serbia, Albania, Nigeria, Belgium etc.

POETS

Where are you, poets?

You wizards?

Let’s color this sad world

And people with masks,

With our bright words

Cause’ these eyes, behind the masks,

Have already lost their shine and glow

As we do not breathe at all.

Go ahead, raise your voice

And wipe the mud from your shoes,

In the name of all those

Silent people in their homes,

Immersed in misery of

Every day and boring jobs.

Let’s spread the wings of our imagination

Upon this program-minded world

And preserve the scent of childhood

And first kisses,

Alive!

Let’s give love a chance to come back,

That divine joy of life,

Let’s pour from our poems

And let it flow around the streets

All over the world

And let it reach and touch

Every single lonely man in tears

And each woman in black.

________________

The post Poets – A Poem from Croatia first appeared on Sindh Courier.

 Andry-Andreja Jakuš

With the Kurds being highlighted and frequently represented in my works, I’ve noticed a number of my acquaintances and supporters asking about Kurdish poetry translated into English.

Even though Kurdish poets are revered as real celebrities in Kurdistan where their poetry is rich, abundant, omnipresent, it isn’t very easy to find Kurdish poetry translated into any language, English in particular.

This made it ever important for me to write this Kurdish Female Poetry spotlight: A Series that I shall present on my Creator pages, both #buymeacoffee and Patreon, and also on my YouTube Poetry Readings Channel.

Considered one of the world’s largest stateless ethnic group, Kurdish people have endured disgraceful and systematic attacks against their culture since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after WWI.

This systematic oppression also deeply affects language.

This Linguicide, adds to the importance of seeing more Kurdish poetry translated and spread broadly to represent this unique abs remarkable people, their loud and proud voices, rich heritage, specific tradition, and their powerful stories.

Therefore, I wish to introduce you to DR. CHOMAN HARDI a scholar, poet, translator, feminist, and founder and director of the Center for Gender Studies at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani.

Her books LIFE FOR US and CONSIDERING THE WOMEN are mandatory reading.

The poems in these books are skillfully crafted, honest, powerful, intense, morbidly expressive, and devastating.

I will direct you to her poem DISPUTE OVER A MASS GRAVE with this final stanza:

“That one is mine! Please give him back to me.

I will bury him on the verge of my garden —

The mulberry tree will offer him its shadow,

The flowers will earnestly guard his grave,

The hens will peck on his gravestone,

The beehive will hum above his head.”

___________________ 

Andry-Andreja Jakus, a Professor at Hacettepe University, Zagreb, Croatia, is Academic Writer, Bibliographer, Lexicographer, Translator, Language Tutor and Reviewer. In her columns, she writes on poetry, philosophy, cultural studies, history of religions etc.

Courtesy: Andry-Andreja Jakus/LinkedIn – Published with permission of the author

The post KURDISH FEMALE POETRY SPOTLIGHT first appeared on Sindh Courier.