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POETRY Poetry Workshops in Fairfield County, CT 1. Eco-Evolution Cafe in Norwalk (monthly) 2. Erica's Shed (invite only) 3. Ralph Nazareth's house 4. Poet's salon in Fairfield 5. CT Poets Society at Wilton Libr ary (Est.2010) (monthly) 6. Gabi Coatsworth's groups (WritersMic and Writers Rendezvous are attendable by Zoom or in person at Westport Librar y. 7. Open Mic at Unity Center, above Ford Dealership in Norwalk, CT 8. Fairfield County Story Lab or Fairfield County Writers' studio 203-374-8343 fcstorylab.com and fcwritersstudio.com 9. Westport Writers' Workshop westportwriters.org Haiku Resources 1. Wales Haiku Journal 2. Haiku Foundation -> Haiku Dialog ue 3. Cold Moon Journal by Roberta Beach Jacobson Poetry is the sister of music. — Sergei Rachmaninoff A poem should not mean but be. — Archibald McLeish These are my allusions... — Janet Krauss Make of your life a poem. — Ray Rauth List of Titles The poetry pages below are a collection of mine. However, the recited section found at the bottom of this page is a combination of mine and others that I found inspiring. A Gardner in New England - An Opera 12.16.2023 Relieved 12.2022 The Tears of Re 12.19.2019 It's the Same Old Song 09.01.2019 Three Generations 01.19.2019 My best friend, Oscar 02.17.2023 New York, New York 05.01.2020 This is the Jungle (slam version) 08.1 0.2020 This is the Jungle 09 .11 .2019 Untitled Haikus various Magic Moments 01.21.2023 You and Me 11.15.2025 Recited verses Better To Light Candles by Merle Shain Better To Light Candles by Merle Shain Better To Light Candles by Merle Shain Better To Light Candles by Merle Shain It is better to light candles than to curse the darkness. It is better to plant seeds than to accuse the earth. The world needs all of our power and love and energy, and each of us has something that we can give. The trick is to find it and use it, to find it and give it away. So there will always be more. We can be lights for each other, and through each other's illumination we will see the way. It is better to light candles than to curse the darkness. It is better to plant seeds than to accuse the earth. The world needs all of our power and love and energy, and each of us has something that we can give. The trick is to find it and use it, to find it and give it away. So there will always be more. We can be lights for each other, and through each other's illumination we will see the way. It is better to light candles than to curse the darkness. It is better to plant seeds than to accuse the earth. The world needs all of our power and love and energy, and each of us has something that we can give. The trick is to find it and use it, to find it and give it away. So there will always be more. We can be lights for each other, and through each other's illumination we will see the way. It is better to light candles than to curse the darkness. It is better to plant seeds than to accuse the earth. The world needs all of our power and love and energy, and each of us has something that we can give. The trick is to find it and use it, to find it and give it away. So there will always be more. We can be lights for each other, and through each other's illumination we will see the way. Each of us is a seed, a silent promise, and it is always spring. Each of us is a seed, a silent promise, and it is always spring. Each of us is a seed, a silent promise, and it is always spring. Each of us is a seed, a silent promise, and it is always spring. Anything come to mind to share?

An ancient Egyptian papyrus traces the origin of bees to tears: “The god Re [the sun god also known as Ra] wept, and the tears from his eyes fell on the ground and turned into a bee. The bee made his honeycomb and busied himself with the flowers of every plant and so wax was made and also honey out of the tears of Re.” Gene Kritsky quotes this inscription in The Tears of Re (2015), about beekeeping in ancient Egypt. Explore More The Tears of Re DF 12.19. 2019 Pool his tears onto the palm of your hand, Ice is warm but cold water drapes the bay; For a thousand tears make a fine land. Drip, drip, drip drowns the sorrow band, An army of none and all that comes to say, Pool his tears onto the palm of your hand. Tears with honey are often spanned, The art of nature is an ancient play, For a thousand tears make a fine land. Curse not blessing we must demand, When no tears are left to cry today; Pool his tears onto the palm of your hand. His tears to possess at the bee stand, To have and to heal our lungs of gray, For a thousand tears make a fine land. From our minds, our bees we banned, And our evils with tears will pay someday, Pool his tears onto the palm of your hand. For a thousand tears make a fine land.

she is water soft enough to offer life to ugh enough to drown it away rupi kaur Get in Touch EMAIL | myfjale@gmail.com INSTAGRAM | @Fjale Connecticut . USA Click for sound Subscribe Form Join Thanks for subscribing!

03 03 03 03 02 02 02 02 01 01 01 01 ... ... ... ... B E L O N G I N G HIVE LOOKING FOR VENERA VERA DREAMS OF THE SEA THE HILL WHERE LIONESSES ROAR DISPLACED YOU WON'T BE ALONE ZANA THE FORGIVENESS OF BLOOD NO MAN'S LAND QUO VADIS, AIDA? SWORN VIRGIN THE ALBANIAN VIRGIN IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY BOTA HONEYLAND DARA OF JASENOVAC SLOVENIJA, AVSTRALIJA IN JUTRI VES SVET VAZVISHENIE SECRET INGREDIENT TRAIN DRIVER'S DIARY HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM! Have any special movies to share?

Art Video Amy Sherald - It’s more than just the corrective narrative. It's gotta be about humanity first. Video Rose B. Simpson - I can stand in my femininity and still feel that power. Video Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn - We're taught history based on certain agendas. I'd rather explore it through my personal lens. Video Gorilla Girls - You can't stop artists. Even if they don't become superstars, you can't stop them from doing their work. Hello Hello Hello Hello Unleash Your Best Unleash Your Best Unleash Your Best Unleash Your Best The worst days can make the best art The worst days can make the best art The worst days can make the best art The worst days can make the best art Share your art today Got your own art or someone else's that you love? Please share!

Love and Friendships Cadmus and Harmonia Cadmus and Harmonia Cadmus and Harmonia Cadmus and Harmonia Work in progress... Travel & Immigration Work in progress... Animals Work in progress... I am currently curating a few stories that highlight perspectives of 'in the middle'. If you have stories you'd like to share, please contact me :) Untold Stories Untold Stories Untold Stories Untold Stories

[Fyah-l] [Fja:l] [Fjalə] noun Alba nian for ‘Word’ ‘Speech’ ‘Rumor’ ‘Term' A unit of language, consisting of one or more spoken sounds that functions as a principal carrier of meaning. Homo sapiens developed capacity for fjalë about 50,000 years ago. - speech or talk that communicates & preserves the spoken and unspoken of the times - the text or lyrics of a song as distinguished from the music - a promise, a disagreement, gossip, or news - a healer of the mind, body, and spirit - a short talk or conversation - a conveyor of facts and/or emotions Examples of stories passed down from one generation to another through fjalë are: history, language, profession, pride, lineage, lyrics, art, remedies, food growing and making, fabric or dress making, child-bearing and raising, land stewardship, shelter and safety, living in harmony with nature, other survival lessons and wisdom. These stories ultimately offer belonging. There’s no place in world that is better than another, if measured by the love natives carry for their culture and natural environment. This is based on my own experience of exchanging fjalë with natives of over 100 countries. I am dual cultured – born and raised in Albania and lived in the United States since a prepubescent age. My sense of belonging is split down the middle between both nations. And natives from each respectively attribute my sense of belonging to them or despite of them. I find it fascinating and human. It’s normal that a tribe often either claims or relinquishes its members. There’s hardly a middle ground drawn out unless you are in the middle. And if you are, this is the place for you. The middle exists in the eye of the beholder and being 'in the middle' offers a unique perspective, an addition by far, rather than a subtraction. I invite you to share your fjalë here . This site is a common place for anyone 'in the middle', a conduit for connection and following streaks of curiosity that promote healthy living and belon ging. How to become a member? Membership is free. Simply subscribe to the mailing list. Your free membership grants you access to have your content displayed on this site. How can you get involved? You may donate your time and skills toward creating more content for the site and/ or contributing to current projects. Regarding monetary donations, a donation is not expected, and no donation is too small. But the purpose of this site is offering connection, not exploitation. Does it interest you to get involved in current projects ? Do you possess a special recipe passed down that has a story within it? Is there a children’s story that you have been old many times but that you don't think has been written yet? How about a nursery rhyme? Or a story of belonging or immigration? How about a story about your grandmother’s knitting and quilting or your great grandmother’s handmade fabric or dress? Does your own art reflect a story of 'the middle'? What about proverbs and rules of society that are not necessarily written anywhere as you have heard them? Is there a special natural remedy recipe? How about a sustainable method or two for farming? Or ways of survival in the natural world that span generations? This is a feel-good space but does not mean that trauma cannot be shared. All I ask is that you find a path that can be healing when sharing. - Share you story with me - Ask your loved ones to share stories with you - Ask me to post your stories and related content here for free - And/or ask me for help with composition of your stories for a small fee - Contact me for a collaboration on a project or idea - Contact me with ideas on how to improve this site “ENI DJEM” V.Deda e grupi i vajzave 1988 00:00 / 02:18 “MALE FUSHE JA NJOHEM ZJARRIN” N. Buçi F. Mustafa L. Ndou 00:00 / 02:33 My Story, My Fjalë My second chapter of creativity shifted onto my mind; where I wove dreams of animals and loving them, for decades, and submerged myself into understanding their inner strength. During my first ever opportunity to splurge, I discovered my pleasure of frozen moments, and so moved from my fluid dreams into my photography phase. I walked for miles, up mountains and down rivers, across countries, and between conflicts, learning about the world, humans, myself, nature, identity and love. And when I thought I had something to compile, I wrote children's books about B E L O N G I N G. And this third phase happened to coincide with my third decade of life. After my mother left, my heart urged me to keep her garden alive. Not out of obligation, but because the timing felt right. I was in that tender phase of daughterhood where we seek to define ourselves apart from our mothers. If she could build her life, so could I—on my own terms. Ironically, tending the garden drew me closer to her. Through each sprout and harvest, I came to know the rhythms of nature more intimately than ever before. The soil connected me to her mother, my nanadaja, and to the women before her—those who waltzed and skipped across the Northern Albanian mountains, cultivating life with grit and grace. Gardening became a quiet revolution of belonging. It linked me not only to my lineage, but to humanity itself—to anyone who has ever sowed seeds and nurtured growth. Through it, I shared stories, built community, and deepened my appreciation for the simple, sacred act of growing food. As my fourth decade approached, I set out on a three-month journey through the Western Balkans, seeking clarity amid personal upheaval. My father's sudden cancer diagnosis prompted a deeper search—for my heritage, for understanding, and for healing. With my husband beside me, we left behind routines and responsibilities to hike through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Albania—carrying only what we needed and embracing everything we found. Upon return, I stitched together trail stories, recipes, reflections, and human connections into a tapestry of land, legacy, and love, culminating in The Illyrian Way book that made me a first-time published author. I proudly share it with my family, the resilient people of the Balkans, and you. And may it inspire a spark toward your own version of The Illyrian Way. Decades later, I remain an amateur enamored with words in verse. And the patient members of the Connecticut Poetry Society tolerate and nurture me. Poetry in the Preserve (wiltonlandtrust.org) Wilton-poetry-society-library-meeting And in between sessions, sometimes I record my voice, reciting. And in between everything else, I take nature walks, propagate plants, dry flowers, paint, host dinners, write lists of things I wish to do, shy away from superficial conversations, take baths, read, and rest. I don't claim to be someone special, and I appreciate the hard work it takes to be creative and to practice inner peace in a noisy world. I believe in working together to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. For more information about my experience, portfolio or to share ideas about how we can collaborate on an upcoming project, get in touch today. I am happily awaiting your fjalë. My earliest memory bleeds red into black, from my mom's typewriter ribbon spool of ink, onto my 6-year-old fingers. I wish I could remember what my first poem was about. I had help with it, but I kept the pride all to myself.

Recited my work others' Relieved Three Generations of Women Magic Moments with sound What Is Your Name_ My Name Is ... This Is The Jumbo Jungle Shawn Slovo, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin O Malet e Shqipërisë Il Canzoniere Amaneti i Kolë Gjetos (song lyrics) Étude for an elephant Çka ka zogu që po qan Anything come to mind you'd like to share?

ILLYRIAN CUISINE T'baftë mirë Bread of Dasarets is among the many varieties of the Illyrian period. It was cooked in Autumn by this tribe who lived near the Ohrid lake, the current area of Korçë, Kolonjë, Mokër, Devoll continuing to Antpatrea (today Berat). Flour of wheat, oat and barley was molded with the seasonal flower aromas and was part of the art of living in beauty. Soup of Dardans is an incomparable treat, like Kosovo itself. A unique dish, the soup is representative of the impact of the continental climate on the Illyrian culinary arts. Meat boiled in milk, with wild cabbage and dried fruits, was the meal that gave color to the whiteness of the cold months where the tribe lived in the area of today’s Kosovo. Cheeses of Molosses are original variations of the hearty fare that fortified the Illyrian civilization across the Epirus region. The rich delicate mixtures were cooked with olive oil and the seasonal herbs and flowers that carpeted the rolling pastures. Meatballs of Penests are the delicious surprises of ground meats mixed with cabbages, leeks, onions and garlic. The Penests lived along the Black Drini Valley in the area of today’s Struga, Tetovo, Gostivar, and Dibra. Lamb of Chaons is believed to have invited attacks and invasions with its enticing aromas and extraordinarily strong flavors. Throughout the region of today’s Gjirokastra and Saranda, the lamb was cooked in a mix of olives, vegetables and dried fruits. Chestnuts with Meat of Taulants evidences the introduction of highland delicacies into the Illyrian culinary rituals along the Adriatic hills and coastline. Meat with Quince of Albans boasts the hues of dawn in the skillful artistry of one of the tribes whose diet included both Mediterranean and Continental influences. Meat with Prunes of Ardians is a perfection of fruit extracts (plums, pomegranates, apples, apricots, grapes) cooked with poultry. The Ardians uniquely enhanced the Illyrian cuisine with their original combinations of products from the surrounding lake, sea, fields and mountains. You've got special recipes to share? Please do!

Playlists and Podcasts Vintage Albanian Music Mix Shote Galica Podcast Folk Albanian Music Mix Chill Mix Work in Progress Have a playlist or podcast to share?

The Illyrian Way In The Press 27 Press Click here for link Diaspora Shqiptare Click here for link Libri Bookstore Click here for link Gazeta Dielli Click here for link EUROPA Balkan Store Click here for link Molla Entertainment Click here for link ALB TVUSA Click here for link APEN Click here for link Albanian BookFest Click here for link Evia's Book Club Click here for link Libri Bookstore Click here for link Wilton Library Click here for link

Food Finding Inspiration in Every Turn If I were to pick one ingredient in the world, it would be Extra Virgin Olive Oil A Mediterranean staple for 6 millennia, olive oil is an incredibly tasty and healthy liquid. The best way to ingest it is raw, unrefined or processed with chemicals and olives pressed should be from one small region. The smaller, the better. For example: EVOO from Peruggia is better than EVOO from Italy and EVOO from Italy is better than EVOO from 'The Mediterranean'. because if it is advertised as from 'Italy' the olives are gathered from all regions in Italy instead of one; and if advertised as from 'The Mediterranean', the olives are gathered from multiple countries. The companies that produce EVOO from multiple regions do not uphold the small batch quality because that is often reserved/bought by the locals or those who are in-the-know (the aficionados). That's the special-ness of extra virgin. Plus, it has natural grassy/neon green color, peppery/spicy taste, and is best ingested within the first year of being pressed. The olive oil is alive for the first year then after that, it slowly starts dying. Aside from digesting it raw or cooking with it (recommend cooking only with over 1 year old EVOO), it can also be used for skin care, soaps, and various home remedies. T'baftë mirë Breads Pastas Veggies Savory Doughs Veggies Specials Meats & Fish Sweet Doughs Small Dishes Entrée Accompaniments You've got special recipes to share? Please do! Favorite Places to Shop NewPond Dairy Farm You've got any special store to share with us? Please do!