The Hardest Part

Life will never be simple for those who experience it, only moments will be easy, and many will be hard. Having negative thoughts is not an unfamiliar experience while going through difficult moments in life, and trying to understand these moments can be even more challenging to manage.

Relief can be found through connecting feelings with others. In this collection, moments of grief, sorrow, and anger are all to be related with as it’s read, alongside the variety of different emotions one might experience being a young female in today’s world. Moments of relation can be found through the strong words and emotion depicted within the work.

Discovering loneliness within difficult times can be frightening for many people, as it’s easy to feel so small in a big world. This offers an understanding that not everyone is alone with their feelings and provides a deeper, more raw view of how dark the mind can be.

The Fate of the Christmas Tree

The evergreen tree is separated from his family and faces the fate of all Christmas trees. It happens every year as the Christmas season approaches. The trees are decorated with lights and colorful decorations, the center of attention. Then after the season is over the trees are discarded and left in the street for the garbage men to take away. This is a whimsical story of one tree’s journey, a story of magic and miracles. This is a story to delight the child in all of us.

In the spirit of saving the planet and preserving the forests, this is a story to make people aware of saving the trees. Years ago, someone invented the artificial Christmas tree as a way to help protect our forests. Despite this innovation, many people still cut down or purchase real trees each year. Through this story, readers are invited to reflect on the impact of their choices and consider more sustainable traditions.

The Demonic

The purpose of this poetic rendition of the demonic is to reflect the inner conflict between good and evil within a man’s soul. The soul encompasses all elements of good and evil, and those elements remain in constant conflict, vying for dominance. Life itself is defined by the contest between good and evil that plays out within each person. This struggle permeates every facet of existence - families, social circles, business dealings, and judgment calls. It influences all of our decisions and actions. Through vivid metaphor and examined discernment, the ongoing dynamic process of internal conflict and resolution is illuminated for the reader. This telling aims to showcase the complex navigation between light and dark that lives within us all.

The Cracks in My Bones

When I put my hand out

And reached for your smaller, softer hand,

I didn’t expect you to have turned

Your back on me;

To have crushed my soul in one sudden movement.

Why did you turn your back on me?

Even under the sun’s warmth,

You couldn’t see how

Torn, broken, crushed

I was.

You looked right past me,

And suddenly,

I didn’t exist.

How am I supposed to exist

Without you?

How am I supposed to put

One foot in front of the other

And move on?

When all I wanted to do was

Run to you.

My feet were stuck to the ground,

My hands trembling, my eyes watering,

And my heart was breaking.

I never listened to those old love poems,

Yet, you were my love poem.

I just didn’t know it till

You walked away from me.

And those words, those damn words,

Started to choke me.

The Comprehensive Anthology of Early 21st Century Arab Poets

The Comprehensive Anthology of Early 21st Century Arab Poets offers a rich tapestry of voices from the Arab world, transcending borders of geography, history, and culture.

These poets weave a diverse and intricate mosaic that reflects not only the multifaceted Arab realm with its myriad religious, political, and cultural nuances but also showcases them as enlightened, compassionate global citizens.

Dive into this collection and discover the vibrant heart and soul of contemporary Arab poetry.

The Coming of the Train

Embark on a universal voyage through the rich tapestry of human experience, a narrative that mirrors your own life’s saga. This book captures the essence of existence, our collective tales of joy and sorrow, love and loss, and the myriad decisions that shape our days. From the rollercoaster ride of adolescence to the serenity of our twilight years, each chapter resonates with a truth you’ve lived: the thrill of love, the search for self, the grief of goodbyes, and the introspection in life’s quiet moments. The author weaves these shared threads into a story that feels deeply personal, reflecting the shifting landscapes of our lives. Readers will see themselves on these pages, finding comfort, inspiration, and a reflection of their journey in a life that, while unique, is connected by common threads to all. This story promises to tug at your heartstrings, provoke thought, and perhaps draw a tear or a smile, reminding you of the profound simplicity of being human.

Sweet Debris

Discover the poignant journey of one man’s passage through solitude and emotional isolation. On the surface, he appears ordinary, blending into the streetscape. Yet, within him lies a profound empathy for the overlooked fragments of life: the homeless, abandoned houses, desolate railroad sidings, and forgotten freight tracks. These elements, along with the haunting memories of a bygone era, shape his existence. His childhood whispers to him, filled with voices now lost to the earth, offering wisdom and counsel. Through it all, he persists with a quiet determination, moving forward despite the weight of the past.

Sunset Silhouettes

The sun will close its books on a day like any other

round up its warmth and retracts the lights to feed another

in degrees it recedes, slipping in, out, and about

the flaming orangey clouds half-dipped in the horizon

a dazzling hopelessness courts the night

The sun will close its books on a day like any other

but can it account for the slumped lone silhouette

faceless beauty that hovers in its foreground

matching its sadness with the splendid sunset

a dazzling hopelessness encamps the soul

the final charm of a dying day.

Sunset Silhouettes is Linda Adede Ongola’s debut poetry anthology which features a hundred poems written mostly in free verse and of the confessional genre. It covers themes of mental health, theodicy, love, betrayal, and corruption among other social concerns.

Storyteller in Times Square

Storyteller in Times Square opens with a visit to New York and the ruins of the World Trade Center. Thus begins a poetry collection that reflects in subtle and surprising ways the post World War II history of the United States. Without being either “political” or “ideological,” the poet employs concise and often disciplined forms of language to touch upon deeper matters of destiny and feeling.  Our lives, our deeds, our ideas—all of these have consequences for how we treat our land and each other. The moments of lyricism and humor help us to keep our balance. And the perspective is important, for these poems are about paying attention to reality. Can we pay attention to the voices of history submerged in our wake, swirling behind us? Perhaps that question in essence is what these poems ask of us.

Stories & Poems = Happiness

This book is both a poetry book and a story book.

These are mostly stories written in the form of a poem. Of the fifty poems, thirty seven have won either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place. Nine are published in various poetry organizations with other poets. These stories are very interesting and can put a smile on your face. Some are true and some can be true.

Stand Alone Still

Embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and healing in this compelling exploration of resilience and forgiveness.

Have you endured unimaginable hardships, surviving what feels like hell on earth, only to realize that the path to salvation lies not in entering heaven, but in healing your own wounded heart? In this poignant tale, you will discover that the true meaning of home extends far beyond physical walls – it resides within the depths of your own being.

As you navigate the challenging terrain of self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others, you will uncover a profound truth: the battle lies not in the external world, but within yourself. It is through this internal struggle that you find the strength to grow and transcend the limitations imposed upon you.

Somnambulist Chronicles

months of wondering what the hell happened, and if it was a dream or not. finally arriving upon an affirming decision, only to second-guess myself again. all those things they say about emotional young women: rape accuser, attention whore. why am i the one at fault? you did this to me? all i did was type it out. but you are the one who wrote me this. and you know what? let the blood boil. it was never ego going to my head. it was blood rushing to my head. just like it happened then. and all the nerves permanently stained by emotional memory; the ones that are supposed to be sacred to a woman. the ones that were mine, but you made yours. a tragic haunting: they speak to me in the night. and after years of waiting, wondering what can i do? they whispered to me, closely in my ear: write the book.