The Most Beautiful Sea, Hasn't Been Crossed Yet. The Most Beautiful Child, Hasn't Grown Up Yet. Our Most

I HAVE NO POWER

"I have no power to change you or explain your ways Never believe a man can change a woman Those men are pretenders who think that they created woman from one of their ribs, A woman does not emerge from a man's ribs, not ever! it is he who emerges from her womb, like a fish rising from depths of water

and like streams that branch away from a river It's he who circles the sun of her eyes and imagines he is fixed in place.."

- Nizar Qabbani

We are accused of terrorism

We are accused of terrorism If we dare to write about the remains of a homeland That is scattered in pieces and in decay In decadence and disarray About a homeland that is searching for a place And about a nation that no longer has a face

About a homeland that has nothing left of its great ancient verse But that of wailing and eulogy

About a homeland that has nothing in its horizons Of freedoms of different types and ideology

About a homeland that forbids us from buying a newspaper Or listen to anything About a homeland where all birds are always not allowed to sing About a homeland that out of horror, its writers are using invisible ink

About a homeland that resembles poetry in our country Improvised, imported, loose and of no boundaries Of foreign tongue and soul Detached from Man and Land, ignoring their plight as a whole

About a homeland to the negotiating table moves Without a dignity or shoes

About a homeland That no more has steadfast men With only women therein

Bitterness is in our mouthsin our talkin our eyes Will draught also plague our souls as a legacy passed to us from ancient times?

Our nation has nobody left, even the less glorified No one to say "NO" in the face of those who gave up our homebread and butter Turning our colorful history into a circus

We have not a single honest poem That has not lost its virginity in a ruler's Harem

We grew accustomed to humiliation Then what is left of Man If he is comfortable with that?

I search the books of history For men of greatness to deliver us from darkness To save our women from fires' brutality

I search for men of yesterday But all I find is frightened cats Fearing for their souls From the authority of rats

Are we hit by national blindness Or are we suffering from color blindness

We are accused of terrorism If we refuse to perish Under Israeli tyranny That is hampering our unity Our history Our Bible and our Quran Our prophets' land If that is our sin and crime Then terrorism is fine

We are accused of terrorism If we refuse to be wiped out By barbarians, the Mongols or the Jews If we choose to stone the fragile security council Which was sacked by the king of caesuras

We are accused of terrorism If we refuse to negotiate the wolf And reach out for a whore

America is fighting the cultures of Man Because it lacks one And against the civilizations because it needs one It is a gigantic structure but without a wall

We are accused of terrorism If we refuse current times Where America  the arrogant the mighty the rich Became a sworn interpreter of Hebrew.

-Nizar Qabbani

Why is Kafka so important when it comes to European loneliness?

How are his writings still so relevant today? And does his literature really reflect the loneliness we see in European societies?

Who is Franz Kafka?

First, let’s start by getting to know Franz Kafka. Kafka was a Czech Jewish writer who lived in the early 20th century. His writings were marked by strangeness and ambiguity, often tackling themes like isolation, alienation, and the dehumanizing effects of bureaucracy. His most famous works, such as *The Metamorphosis* and *The Trial*, convey a deep sense of psychological oppression and the feeling of being trapped in a cold and incomprehensible world.

European Loneliness – How Did It Become a Reality?

Now, let’s move to the key question: Why is Kafka considered important in the context of European loneliness? To understand this, we need to first look at life in modern European societies. Despite the economic and technological advancements in Europe, loneliness has become a significant part of many people's lives. These societies tend to emphasize individualism and self-reliance, which can often lead to feelings of isolation and existential emptiness. A large portion of people in Europe live alone, and due to highly structured social and political systems, individuals often feel like they are just small cogs in a vast machine. This is where Kafka comes in. His writings reflect this very feeling – the sense that one has no control over their life and is trapped in a cold, impersonal system.

How Does Kafka’s Literature Reflect Loneliness?

Kafka’s works deeply capture feelings of loneliness and alienation. In *The Metamorphosis*, the protagonist transforms into an insect and feels rejected by both his family and society. Here, we see a clear picture of loneliness, the feeling of being unaccepted and misunderstood. Kafka was expressing a profound fear of being disconnected from others and not being able to communicate. In *The Trial*, the protagonist is subjected to a senseless trial by a mysterious and oppressive system. This mirrors the experience of individuals in modern Europe who feel like mere numbers in a vast, soulless bureaucratic machine. Loneliness is not just about the absence of personal connections; it’s also about feeling powerless and disconnected from one’s own life. That’s what makes Kafka’s work so relevant to understanding modern European loneliness.

The Existential Dimension in Kafka’s Works

Kafka isn’t just a writer who critiques systems and bureaucracy. He is also a deeply existential writer. Many people in Europe today feel lost in a world that seems to lack meaning, and Kafka’s writings reflect this reality. The existential themes in his works raise questions about the purpose of life and the meaning behind everything that happens, questions that continue to resonate with individuals navigating a chaotic and alienating world.

- Feda'a Yahya

Don't love deeply, till you make sure that the other person loves you with the same depth, because the depth of your love today, is the depth of your wound tomorrow.

Art by : Julia Soboleva

Have you ever had a crush? Have you ever felt a rush? Makes my heart stop, she didn't even blush And I got a crush Oh man I got a crush Got a psychedelic dagger in my heart, tell the paramedics to rush

I hate crushes, I cover bruises with paintbrushes Pour it all in the music now that my bank's ruptured

She never texts me, she never texts me, she never texts me Never texts me, she never texts me, forgot to text me

Well I guess we accept the ones that neglect us And my moms say that we disrespect the ones that perfect us And try to protect us

I really hope that you get this My thoughts are weighin' me down My neck can't handle the necklace Your father says that I'm reckless, I didn't cause all that wreckage

had to give you this message I wrote it straight from the soul and it didn't make sense to text it So I snuck up in your room, put it on your shoulder and in return You sent me back a restraining order.

Jaden - let it breath

Bribery

Bribery is what is given to nullify a right, or achieve a falsehood. The briber pays the bribe-taker to give him what is not his right, and it is one of the major sins and great burdens.

Dealing with bribery is a widespread form of corruption and a affliction of evil that brings many woes upon the individual and society. It corrupts religion, destroys trust, spreads betrayal, and sows malice and hatred in the hearts of people. The weak grudge against the strong, and the poor grudge against the rich, and society is divided into two warring classes. Then security and stability will disappear, fear and turmoil will come, and there will be no survival of security and livelihood in a country or nation where bribery is widespread, because the bribe-takers withhold the interests and rights of the people until they bribe them, so the wealth of the bribe-takers increases, and with it the cycle of poverty among the people increases.

I feel the urge to shout to the world

the anguish of my soul,

The torments I’ve experienced,

all my sorrows-

I’m speaking of my suffering.

I’m speaking from the heart.

~ Close-up, Abbas Kiarostami

Divide me with fatigue,

for I need a sore chest to cry on. Like you, I have something made of glass, and the chests of those who are comfortable, are made of marble. Return to my world so that I may rest, for I love you even when I’m tired.

I saw her alone,

emaciated, heavy-eyed, really tired,

I asked her "who do you love ?"

Who wounded your heart and torn it?

Who melted your eyes in the nights and made you restless?

She said: Do not blame him.

He doesn't know that my heart adores him,

I've secretly loved him for months,

My heart has died of yearning.

We were both silent,

as if there was a secret agreement between us,

but if you whisper a single letter,

I will scream and cry.