AN ELEGY IN THE TWILIGHT OF LIFE - by Sudha Varadarajan

AN ELEGY IN THE TWILIGHT OF LIFE by  Sudha Varadarajan -  India Staggering amidst the swaying crowd, The frail and fragile figure, hidden in a shroud, Stretches her rocky palms, beckoning for alms; Teary eyed and stifling her pride, She prays for mercy to the men in jersey; Withering of age, Yet resigned like a sage, Slithering through her life in its twilight, She begs all day and night; A mother perhaps, Who once with love her children she nurtured, Now stumbling upon her dreams fractured; A widow perhaps, Who once strode across joyous years, Now sulking in solitude, haunted by fears; A teacher perhaps, Who once nourished young minds, Now in desolation counting her finds; A singer perhaps, Who once moved many a heart with melodious numbers, Now weary of her heart, she slumbers; And into the dusk she fades, Splashing all around life’s dark shades; Strewing behind bitter tales, As the ladder of life she scales; Her glorious memories searing like a knife, Mournfully she pens the elegy of her life;

GLORIOUS AUTUMN MORNING - by Lee Emmett

GLORIOUS  AUTUMN  MORNING by  Lee Emmett glorious Autumn morning sky is clear and still dog is barking next door otherwise quiet on hill garden is looking a treat after recent welcome rains green returns to landscape gentle healing assuages pains

SHOWER - by William James Pollard

SHOWER by William James Pollard Rain, falling softly Cleanses leaves of summer dust Bids autumn welcome.

AUTUMN SYMPHONY - by Nancy Ellen Crossland

AUTUMN  SYMPHONY by  Nancy Ellen Crossland The branches of Autumn have spoken. Brushing now against the windowpane They speak on the winds I hear them again; Rise now from slumber of summer Awaken, let the leaves encircle you Embracing your senses No mellow air to lull you The time is ripe in jubilant song Autumn has arrived Let the celebration begin Hear now Autumn's gong !

AUTUMN'S SPLENDOR - by Brenda Gail Baker

AUTUMN'S   SPLENDOR by Brenda Gail Baker Ah-October dances in like a fiery vagabond queen, Bringing with her Autumn's splendor, gilding the earth with heavenly hues of burnished bronze, gold and crimson too. Hauntingly beautiful October skies: Azure,agate, turquoise; sprinkled here and there with clouds of whitest hue. Like so many lambs gamboling in fields of blue. And-October nights, stars twinkling, black velvets set with myriads of sparkling jewels. Clear and beautiful, like fine crystal. October, you are beautiful. Even more lovely than your sister April with her spring blossoms. For she is a mere child. But, you, October are the voluptuous, mysterious woman that April spring will grow into: Bringing into being all the bounty that April's flowers promised. So-Sing October, Dance, yes, flaunt your gypsy beauty across the land. Too soon you're over and it will be a whole year 'til we see you again.

FALL SUNSET - by Lauren Micheal Marsh

FALL  SUNSET by Lauren Micheal Marsh Have you ever examined the fall sky, When the sun starts to fall and the moon begins to rise, When the leaves dance with the wind around and around, As they go through their journey to land gracefully on the ground? Purple, orange, pink, and blue, The sun has painted a fall sunset for you. On the beach in the beach house, You see the sky glow, With colors of all sorts, Colors fade as the sun falls slow. Purple, orange, pink, and blue, The sun has painted a fall sunset for you. Does the fall sunset tell a story to you, With the clouds shaped like figures familiar, or new? Do the colors of the sunset look like an ocean, Or does it look like a rainbow, or magic potion? Purple, orange, pink, and blue, The sun has painted a fall sunset for you.

THE RAIN - by Osasemwinhia Ogboghodo

THE RAIN by Osasemwinhia Ogboghodo -  Nigeria Gently, gently, then quickly, quickly, the Rain falls on the soil, on the plants, on the animals, on the rich, on the poor. oh, the Rain is no respecter of persons. it doesn't discriminate but embraces all and sundry with it's dynamic flow. The Rain, how I wish I could be like you. you touch all lives with your pleasant cane that gives no pain. your love reminds me of God who created you. please fall Rain, Rain fall.

HALLOWEEN - TUBE / PNG

LIFE - by Tanuka Mukherjee

LIFE by Tanuka Mukherjee -  India Life is not a burden, Though it is like walking through beautiful glens Having bitter thorns that never seem to end. Life is not slow, As it is a brother of time That is never ready to compromise. Life is not everlasting, For no sooner we live, we have to go. How time passes no one knows. But one thing is for sure, We each have our destiny and pain to endure.

THE JOYS OF CHILDHOOD - by Prerna C

THE  JOYS  OF  CHILDHOOD by  Prerna C - India Dancing around like little raindrops On muddy roads and more Window shopping in the shops Building castles at the sea shore Little fights on a pen or a doll Lasting only a moment or two Then, a little hug to end it all And skipping together saying I love you Running and dancing here and about Slipping hard and rising with every fall Laughing and playing - a chuckle and a shout Swinging high on swings, and shooting a ball Then cosily, in mum’s lap, at night Listening to joyous words, and toys anew Then, on the terrace with dad, flying a kite With an innocent smile as fresh as dew Knowing neither grief nor worry Lost in their own jolly world At their own pace, ne’er in a hurry Aspiring to build a happy dream-world A stranger as well as their dear one They can make anyone smile They enclose love for everyone They know nothing of cheat or wile Those days were so nice; that can’t be forgotten Though, I can forget everything else I’ve got I wish I could go back the steps I’ve trodden Twas the happiest time, that now can’t be bought I miss the swings and the playful laughter So, let me return to what I find good I miss the innocent talks without any falter So, let me return to the joys of childhood.

YOUR KEY TO SUCCESS - by Prerna C.

YOUR  KEY  TO  SUCCESS  by Prerna C,  - India If you are determined and your eyes are set You shall surely achieve your goal and that’s a bet Hard work, honesty and concentration are the only keys to success Try again and again, for one day victory is what you’ll possess Rise with every fall Don’t be afraid to touch the sky so tall Concentrate on every chore that you do It may be work or can be play too Set a high goal but it must be within your reach Also keep you pride low & practice what you preach Remember to never let your confidence break down Even if the world jeers at you or calls you a clown Show them what you are by proving your worth So that your name shall shine in every corner of this earth One day for sure your hard work, honesty and focus will pay back And there will be nothing in the world that you’ll lack Follow these steps and success shall itself enlighten your pathway And fill your life with joy, happiness and peace everyday

FALKENSTEIN CASTLE - AUSTRIA

Niederfalkenstein Castle is a medieval castle near Obervellach in Carinthia, Austria. It is part of the larger Falkenstein fortification complex; while the main fortress of Oberfalkenstein today is a ruin, the lower barbican of Niederfalkenstein is largely preserved. 

The fortification was erected on a rocky promontory on the southwestern slopes of the Reisseck Group in the Hohe Tauern mountain range, overlooking the Möll valley east of Obervellach. Niederfalkenstein is 843 metres (2,766 ft) above sea level.[1]

The Tauern Railway line, opened in 1909, initially passed under the rock in a 67-metre (220 ft) long tunnel. In the course of the double-tracked expansion carried out from 1971 to 1973, the rail tunnel was replaced by a wide arch bridge, the present-day Falkenstein Bridge passing between Ober- and Niederfalkenstein, with 396 metres (1,299 ft) the longest of the line and one of the longest in Austria.

The ruins of Oberfalkenstein comprise a Bergfried keep with surrounding moats and the foundations of a Romanesque palas. A chapel dedicated to John the Baptist was first mentioned in 1246, significantly enlarged in a Baroque style in 1772 and is still in use. 

The fortification was first mentioned as Valchenstain Castle in an 1164 deed. The name may be derived from Proto-Germanic walhaz (foreigner, stranger; Romance/Celtic-speaker) in terms of a Romance (Italian) settlement, referring to descendants of the former Roman city of Teurnia, who had migrated to the remote valley during the Slavic settlement of the Eastern Alps about 600.

The first documented ministerialis Gumpoldus de Valchenstein was a liensmen of Count Engelbert II of Gorizia (Görz), scion of the Meinhardiner dynasty. The Counts of Gorizia also held the office of a Vogt of Bendictine Millstatt Abbey, and the Lord of Falkenstein established close ties to the monastery.

The Falkenstein dynasty became extinct about 1300, soon after two castles, 'Upper' and 'Lower' Falkenstein were mentioned, enfeoffed by the Counts of Gorizia to several local nobles. On 24 June 1394 Count Henry VI gave the upper castle in pawn to the Habsburg duke Albert III of Austria. It was finally seized by Albert's nephew Emperor Frederick III in 1460, after he had defeated Count John II of Gorizia in the conflict over the heritage of the extinct Counts of Celje. The lower castle was temporarily held by the Carinthian knight Andreas von Graben, who sold it in 1462.

In 1504 Frederick's son and successor Emperor Maximilian I again pawned the castle to Count Julian of Lodron, by his wife Apollonia brother-in-law of the Salzburg archbishop Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg. It was acquired by Apollonia's second husband Christoph Frankopan after Lodron's death in 1510. The countess donated an altarpiece by Jan van Scorel in the Obervellach parish church, depicting Saint Christopher, herself and her castle. At the same time, large funds had to be raised in order to restore the dilapidated premises. Afterwards, several nobles held the castle, among them the descendants of Gabriel von Salamanca-Ortenburg and the Khevenhüller dynasty, while the premises decayed. When the Austrian mountaineer Joseph Kyselak visited the site in 1825, it largely laid in ruins.

Rebuilt from 1905, the Unterfalkenstein palas burnt down after a burglary in 1969 and had to be restored again. Up to today the castle is a private property, but can be visited in summer. 

ELEANORA SIAMENAVA - PAINTINGS

Eleanora has a lot of experience working in the field of cinematography, she worked as a costume designer in 27 movies, some of them are international competitions’ prize-winning – “Come and See” (Director E. Klimov) and “The Wild Chase of King Stakh” (Director V. Rubinchick) and others. Received 8 diplomas in recognition of her professional achievement, including Nika – the professional diploma of the Union of Cinematographers. In 1991 Eleanora received a proposition to be a customer designer from the great director Stanley Kubrick of The Warner Brothers company.

 "Eleanora Siamenava’s artworks are richly textured, the artist uses language of symbols and allegory. Mythology and legends are often become a subject matters of the artist. Eleanora is a participant in numerous shows all over the globe including Sweden, Canada, Italy, Latvia, USA, Spain, Russia and Belarus.”

Zoya Boruchov, Manager

“Contemporary Art Galleries”

IF I COULD - by Raveon

IF  I  COULD  by   Raveon If I could tell you, the reasons of how and why I feel, like I do, this is what I would say... I feel like the world is mine since, you came into my life, the birds sing louder and sweeter, when you gave your love to me. the nights are no longer empty and lonely, when you stepped into my dreams. my days are happy and filled only with the need... of you, I think of building a life with you, sharing hopes and dreams. these are the things I would say, If I could only tell you, If I only could...