Poetry

By Janella Smith Wake your resting head from mediocrity’s puffed pillows. Summersault naked, eyes shut on uncombed grass. Swim the channel of rainbow water  gliding through a pack of smiling dolphins. Exhale a rebirth of exquisite unknowns while inhaling ripples of scented feathers. Dance on the warm white sands barefoot,  without angst swelling between your intuitions. Risk losing the comfort of goals infected with safety  As euphoric butterfly mist blushes on your sweet che

By Sidhi Gupta The Town River is a raging drunk, He comes home to his wife, blue Angry and reeling, ephemerally happy the next afternoon Bathes the bodies it holds with cold crystal water rinse and wringed Under icy white moons; ‘till the blood runs dry. The Oak Tree is an pretentious hipster, Brown and green freckled bark,  and whispers to wind Children wrap their loose limbs, around thin branches, and the tree rolls his eyes and calls them unoriginal He houses the bugs, and

By Sidhi Gupta Lower the flags to a half mast, peace has come— And a stalemate arrives on the horizon over the sun, When you blink do you see the strobe lights? Bruised at your knees from fighting yourself to sleep My wonderwall, why do you paint yourself red? You’re a sign of freedom yet you’re as caged picture frame I wish I could gaze inside the spirals of you for a moment, maybe, A carpet to the feet of those who need a minute of ecstasy. A self destructing star, hot to t

By Sidhi Gupta The sweet sound of “From Eden” on repeat, all summer long on a CD, Kiss marks of a cool night keep me still, the crackling fires and melted marshmallows, burn my eyes and make my face sticky. Opened the curtain to golden honey singing through my windows, The sun staining bedrooms a deep orange, a warm embrace Old paperbacks in purses, the yellow, spotted pages slicked to each other, The in between of the woody citrus smell of summer A digital camera at the beac

By Sidhi Gupta Lay down with a lamb, little I did know that lamb had the sharpest of teeth Eyes up above, and we told each other little lies, hands tied together like a wreath His words so sweet and ripe, and I looked for something to wish for, looked for a star Up close, he’d been soft and frayed at the edges, maybe I’d only understand from afar In my mindless skull I’d painted him out to be a man, the sort with gentle hands, and a sweet voice, who’d hold you as you weeped,

By Sidhi Gupta She holds many things; Onto hope, onto the future, onto the “maybe one days” But her hands weren’t made to be held by curious boys, Or on nervous first dates, a ping pong match of eye contact. Her hands were made to pet stray cats, and pick up lady bugs. Maybe he hands weren’t held by secret lovers, But that wasn’t part of the Maslow’s Hierarchy She bit her nails down to the quick, and wiped the blood on dark denim She buttoned up her formal school uniform, Fin

By Sidhi Gupta Kissed her button nose, and her curious eyes Honey golden fur, a few whimpers and cries Closed the capsule, for the one and only time Laika lived for them, and for them she would die We don’t choose to be heroes, and she didn’t choose to say goodbye Found on the streets, too used to cold, Laika, oh Laika never got to grow old Picked like an unlucky clover for her heart Her wagging tail doomed her from the start The evil live and the docile fry. Put a bomb to he

By Sidhi Gupta The beauty of her blood was too much for this timeline, Life is a temporary poison, sinking deep within our skin Prayed to a journal, a locket, your shrine is in the skies and in my bedroom Read the tales of Homer, four syllables slicked over my tongue Down on my knees, looking above A marbled planet, a mosaic of seashells to the queen of the kingdom Rev the engine and start driving there, 25 million miles more to go I wonder if I’d recognise her, in a book I r

By Anastasia Spyrou Estoy cansada de la propaganda política, de tener fe o de no esperar nada, simplemente me encuentro en el medio.  Con miedo de sentir, pero con más temor que termine por darme igual. Crecí llena propagandas , llena de miedo a mi propio país, con los sueños repartidos, con la deserción de una población Y aún así fui de las afortunadas, de las que menos sufrió, de las que tuvo ventajas y suerte.  Pero que no pasará hambre no quiere decir que no tuviera el co

By Paraa Jasani In ancient times, in a wealthy home, In the beautiful palace he would roam. His mother’s joy, a precious son, He didn’t know in his life there was a big U-turn. Gautam Swami’s teaching shone so bright, Like light from a brilliant guiding star. His mother said, “Son, you are too small!” “But I’ll follow older’s lesson, after all.” With a smile, he replied, “Who knows the hour, who knows the day? This might only be the right way.” One day, while rain poured down

By Paraa Jasani Iliachi Kumar, young and bright, Chased a dancer, heart so light. Walked the rope with steady feet, Dreaming love would be so sweet. But one day saw a monk so still, Free from desire, free from will. He learned that peace is not in fame, But in soul’s eternal flame. So he left the worldly race, And rejoiced in his soul’s grace. Left his quest for a dancer girl, Set for a true path, and took a twirl. By Paraa Jasani

By Paraa Jasani Ocean is deep, Ready to sleep. Hiding all the secrets, Absorbing it in him. Toxic waste we put, But he never says anything. By Paraa Jasani

By bAkU (Jakub Krzysztof Jedrzejewski) As fan of horrors I love Halloween, Late October, smell of autumn and pumpkin, Spiced latte at Starbucks, (overpriced, obscene) And how Christmas is lurking. Let them play, they’re just kids, Screaming „allahu akbar”, Once a year „Trick or Treats”, Hijab cover hair, Yet fits the costume of a witch, God, how I adore hypocrisy. Steal my culture when it’s convenient, Then try to preach salvation, call me a non-believer, Turn my home into th

By bAkU (Jakub Krzysztof Jedrzejewski) I walked through Eden's Garden, Had the feeling you fell straight from heaven, Never asked for love to stake a claim, Until you showed me what is true Hell. I danced with the Devil, looked the Reaper in his eyes, With a smirk on his face, He's the one to judge, Meanwhile, fields and flowers turn into ash, Birds dissolved in shapeless dust. I opened Pandora's Box with the key you gave me, Put my heart in it while you stood there grinning,

By bAkU (Jakub Krzysztof Jedrzejewski) Under the moonlight, A rope dangling off the tree, I’m tired of saying: “Life’s brutal”, And how naive I could’ve been, Demons started to feel like normality, Like Truman, I don’t know if it’s reality, But I still remember - holding your hand, It was just you and me, But you already knew, Tree wasn’t the end, It was the only place, ...I felt real. By bAkU (Jakub Krzysztof Jedrzejewski)

By bAkU (Jakub Krzysztof Jedrzejewski) Vision turns blurry, State of sadness is obscurity, No one warned how difficult is maturity, Gotta learn through water, dripping slowly. Cheeks wet like grass in the morning, Shining like stars in the night sky while everyone's snoring, Slide down your eyes with their fleeting glory, One after another, each one tells a story. Behind backs, poisonous talks, Can't break the silence, it echoes „STOP", One sound left is another drop, Buried

By bAkU (Jakub Krzysztof Jedrzejewski) All the pain I usually keep inside, Filling me up like wine in a vase so wide, Moulding, twisting, over and again, Trapped within my labyrinthine brain, Until it overflows. For each drop of blood I spill, I'll take a bucket of yours to fill, For every tear my eyes have torn, I’ll carve my words where flesh is worn, And when your scream cuts through the night, I'll overflow with peace of mind. By bAkU (Jakub Krzysztof Jedrzejewski)

By bAkU (Jakub Krzysztof Jedrzejewski) Hello, Loneliness, My old friend. How many days has it been, Since we last met again? I must admit, l appreciate, The shield you raise from all that's fake, The venom, stains, and quiet hate. Loneliness, can you relate? Forgive me for the times I turned you down, When you stretched out your arms, Just to keep me untouched. Hug my heart with your silent grace, Oh dear Loneliness, My safest place. By bAkU (Jakub Krzysztof Jedrzejewski)

By bAkU (Jakub Krzysztof Jedrzejewski) Someone lives in my mirror, In reflection that betrays, Sadness and pain, Someone peers through closed window, Between the sound of wind and rain, While the outside fades to grey, Someone follows me around, I'm counting days I sense his breath, Crawling down my fragile spine. Someone lives beneath my skin, Someone I cannot recognise, Someone wants my wrist to bleed, Someone left my mind all biased, There's no more me in me - in l, I'm to

By bAkU (Jakub Krzysztof Jedrzejewski) If it's bad for your health - drop it, At night makes you quiver in bed - leave it, Causing countless stress - abandon it, Pushing your mind to break - cut it off, You talk about it in past tense - forget it, It's weak as previous phrase - diminish it, When it dares to shape you - forsake it, When it erases you - erase it. When it sets your heart on high ping - own it, Makes your shadow sing - love it, Becomes the reason you breathe - re