On a warm Ramadan evening, despite the cool breeze, and on the banks of the Nile, Egyptian-French artist Abdel-Razek Okasha hosted an iftar at Darna Museum. The event was attended by a distinguished group of writers, artists, academics, and media professionals. The evening concluded with a special tribute to poet, novelist, and translator
Burning My Mother’s Memories
The children gathered in the empty house,
Burning the objects filled with their mother’s memories.
Books on the low wooden desk,
Worn and scarred in many places,
Disappeared into the flames,
Covered in dust.
The medicine cabinet, polished smooth
From being opened and
WHEN LOVE DISAPPEARS
And that trace that is no longer persistent
I still remember those times
When love was persistent
In ourselves when it least challenges
I know that meaning is what I seek
And that person can only be you
Because every hope of mine is a part of the soul
That must not be lightly trampled
Alexandra Ochirova, a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, is one of the most significant voices in contemporary Russian poetry. Her Chinese poetry collection, Russian Cosmism (translated from English to Chinese), was published by The Earth Culture Press in March 2025.
The back cover features her poem The Universal Bell Is Bringing,
Farewell, my heart’s beloved,
In your eyes, I felt longing,
In your embrace, a sob-
Torn, yet still alive.
Valbona R. Hadri, an acclaimed poetess from Kosovo, shares her poetry
Valbona R. Hadri was born in Ferizaj, where she completed her primary and secondary education. She later earned a degree in Albanian Language
