ARYA'S WRITING & READING BLOG

October 18, 2025 around America hundreds of thousands protested the trump regime and its injustices , declaring loudly and proudly, we want no king . The count of protesters throughout America on this day is approximately seven million. In Youngstown, Ohio , at least 1,000 people gathered with signs in front of the Mahoning County Courthouse to make their voices for American democracy heard while passing cars honked their support. The best takeaway from this day of protest is the realization that we are not, after all, being riven as a country as some government officials hope and expect due to their actions, but in fact, united in protest and #resistance against this regime's unjust laws and policies. Here are a handful of photos I took on No Kings 2 . First, Susie B., a longtime activist, with an up-cycled sign from the Bush years . Secondly, some guy in a funny getup with an achingly true sign. And finally, an artist who spent the day scrawling important sayings on cement wi...

I don't know anyone of my generation who grew up with the image imprinted in memory of a young, beautiful, starry eyed explorer on the cover of National Geographic alongside chimpanzees , which she was dedicating her life to understanding, who is not mourning the loss of this great teacher and helper now. That remarkable model of hope for young women who choose to take a unique and deeply personal route into learning about the world, who became a hero for animals in the wild, and for Mother Earth and all of humankind was Dr. Jane Goodall , and the impact she has left in her wake cannot and will not ever be able to be estimated.  If you have not yet seen her final message to the world on Netflix , please do yourself the favor and watch her deeply moving, personal message. Her lessons, like those of HH the Dalai Lama , are profound, universal and simple: Be kind to all. Appreciate Mother Earth and every sentient being on it. Be gentle.  There are other imperatives too, which D...

My prose poem, "Gloria," was accepted by two publications--first, Thorn & Bloom , which is put out by Red Rose Thorns , and a week later, by NonBinary Review , a magazine from Zoetic Press . I always sign a contract with the first taker and, in this case, I'm not sorry I did, as Issue 3 in which "Gloria" appears in Thorn & Bloom , is featured both online and in magazine format and the cover and layout are beautiful. For me, as a writer and reader, there is still nothing as gratifying as having writing available to hold and peruse in an actual magazine or text. Online reading comes secondary to reading actual books for me. A couple of days later, I was invited to read at a poetry Zoom and read " Gloria," a pantoum , and a flash to an audience of poets from California. Each of them had their own works to share, some of which was quite good. Here's the lovely cover of Thorn & Bloom , Issue Three, and "Gloria": #ThornAndBloom   #...