Tuesday, 23 September 2025
CHOOSE PEACE ON INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
Monday, 15 September 2025
A CARIBBEAN EXPERIENCE
REVIEW OF POEM WRITTEN BY BRENDA MOHAMMED
Brenda Mohammed’s “A Caribbean Experience” reads as both a lyrical travelogue and a celebratory hymn to the islands of the Caribbean. The poem merges geographic precision with personal reflection, inviting readers into a landscape where natural beauty, cultural vibrancy, and lived memory converge.The poem is organized in stanzas that function like a guidebook itinerary: each section highlights a different island, offering cultural notes, natural wonders, and personal impressions. This structural choice provides clarity and progression, moving readers across the Caribbean archipelago as though they are journeying alongside the poet. The use of rhyme, sometimes couplets, sometimes looser patterns, gives the piece a songlike rhythm that mirrors both the celebratory tone and the musical traditions of the Caribbean itself.
The poem’s opening establishes a contrast between “dreaming of travelling” and “nationals who are born and live there.” This contrast situates the work between the tourist’s gaze and the insider’s perspective, acknowledging both the allure of the Caribbean to outsiders and the authenticity of those who call it home.
Each island receives its own portrait:
Trinidad and Tobago is a hub of culture, carnival, and connection.
Saint Lucia with volcanic healing springs and the iconic Pitons.
Barbados blends history, leisure, and natural beauty.
Anguilla is glamorous and exclusive, yet also serene.
Saint Maarten is painted vividly with the imagery of God’s hand.
Curacao, with its coral reefs and the iconic Queen Emma Bridge.
This cataloguing of islands reflects not only diversity within the Caribbean but also the poet’s lived familiarity with them. Personal experience also anchors the poem: the closing stanzas reveal that the poet has vacationed in these places.
Beyond description, the poem reflects the Caribbean as a place of intersection: geography, history, culture, tourism, and memory intertwine. In this sense, Mohammed’s poem contributes to a broader tradition of Caribbean writing that both celebrates the islands’ beauty and acknowledges their cultural richness. The choice to highlight tourism, airlines, resorts, and cruise ships reveals an awareness of how the Caribbean is globally perceived. Yet, the personal anecdotes remind us that it is more than an exoticized dreamscape: it is a lived reality.
Final Thoughts
“A Caribbean Experience” succeeds as both travel invitation and poetic celebration. It showcases Brenda Mohammed’s intimate knowledge of her region while capturing the allure that has made the Caribbean a dream destination for many. With its blend of information, imagery, and personal memory, the poem functions not only as a lyrical guidebook but also as a love letter to home.
Reviewer: Echopoet Editorial Board
BREAK THE SILENCE ON THREE EVILS
Members of THE HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS LITERARY FORUM, of which Brenda Mohammed is the Founder, have raised their pens against the evils of human trafficking, drug addiction, and domestic violence.
Human trafficking is a serious violation of human rights. It is the act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harbouring, or receiving individuals through force, fraud, or coercion for exploitation. This exploitation may include forced labour or sexual slavery.
We need to highlight the detrimental effects of drugs. These include pervasive violence, societal disintegration, public health challenges, substance addiction, and economic exploitation.
Domestic violence is the mistreatment of one family member or intimate partner by another. Victims of abuse are men, women, or children. Abuse can be emotional, physical, or financial.
I congratulate all participants of the How to Write for Success Literary Forum for raising their voices in support of this third volume of BREAK THE SILENCE.
It is our hope and prayer that this anthology, which has been edited and published by the Founder, Brenda Mohammed, will raise awareness of the darkness overshadowing humanity and will move the hearts of those responsible for such evil deeds.
I pay special tribute to Florabelle Lutchman, Chief Literary Ambassador of the forum, for writing a stirring foreword. I also commend the Director of the forum, Fiona Gobin, for preparing the Certificates of participation for all poets.
Gabriel Weah, Literary Ambassador for Liberia and International Artist, created the stunning book cover, and we applaud him for his excellent work.
Here is my poem on Human Trafficking.
STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING
An evil invading this world is child and human trafficking
The stories you hear about this are indeed heartbreaking.
All human beings belong to God and are His Creation
No one has the right to persecute and enslave. them.
Money, the root of all evil, is the purpose of this evil human trade.
For those involved in this criminal act, billions of dollars are made.
Human life means nothing when filling their bank accounts with money.
They profit from ripping children away from their families, heartlessly.
Trafficking is used for forced labour and sexual exploitation,
It is rampant worldwide with very low detection.
Those living in poverty, lacking education, and without legal status,
Tend to be the prime targets of evil traffickers.
Those in governmental authority need to take serious action,
To stop the human trafficking trade in every nation.
Poets worldwide should lift their pens to voice their opinions.
It’s time to rid our countries of such a devastating problem.
Copyright@BrendaMohammed
BRENDA MOHAMMED
Founder – HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS LITERARY FORUM
President – CIESART TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Author of 64 books.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Saturday, 13 September 2025
JUDGE’S COMMENTS – 13HORROR.COM SCREENPLAY CONTEST -ZEEKA AND THE ZOMBIES
JUDGE’S COMMENTS – 13HORROR.COM SCREENPLAY CONTEST
13Horror.com Screenplay Contest - Judge's comments: Zeeka
and the Zombies
Personal 13th September 2025
Andrew Hannon <editor@13horror.com>
2:26 PM (3 hours ago)
Hi Brenda,
Thanks again for submitting Zeeka and the Zombies to the
13Horror.com Film & Screenplay Contest.
It stands out for its unique blend of genres and vivid
setting. I particularly enjoyed the richly imagined futuristic Caribbean world
in 2036. The way you fused sci-fi elements with dark fantasy and Caribbean
folklore created a backdrop that was both unique and deeply immersive. This
setting, with its advanced technology, really anchored the story in a
distinctive environment. Very creative!
You've worked in several well-executed plot developments
that kept the tension high throughout. The revelation that Chief of Police
Grady was the true mastermind was pulled off really nicely. The touching twist
when it was revealed that Zeeka, despite his villainy, had not activated the
killer gadgets in Number Nine's false head, subtly wishing for his son to live,
also caught me quite off guard.
Your screenplay delivers on several horror fronts. The
gruesome scene during the Carnival massacre, vividly depicting the (splendidly
specific) 125 deaths and 75 severe injuries, with descriptions of
blood-splattered areas and severed body parts, was a delight!
Overall, Zeeka and the Zombies is a compelling and
ambitious work that successfully weaves together a complex narrative with strong
characters and memorable horror elements. There are moments of humor, witty
dialogue, and light-hearted interactions woven into the narrative, which made
it a very entertaining read.
We'll announce the finalists and winners on September 30th.
Good luck!
Best regards,
Andrew
Andrew Hannon
Contest Director
Friday, 12 September 2025
TRINIDADIAN AUTHOR BRENDA MOHAMMED RECEIVED SOCRATES PRIZE FROM CIESART INTERNATIONAL
CIESART International is committed to recognizing and rewarding authentic dedication. With the International Socrates Prize, all awardees will participate in a special draw that will award to;
Five (05) Official CIESART International Members will receive full coverage of accommodation, travel, and food to attend the CIESART International Summit, which will be held from 4-8 December 2025. ( All Gala Dinners, Foods, Cocktails, and Travel within Spain during the Summit, Shows, and general expenses). It does not include Airfare to Madrid from December 4 to 8.
All SOCRATES award-holders will have the Subsidy from CIESART of 50% of the previously mentioned expenses if they participate in the CIESART International Summit. UNION OF NATIONS 2025
With this initiative, CIESART reinforces the values that underpin their international mission and institutions, promoting and rewarding loyalty, excellence, and ethical commitment as fundamental pillars of institutional recognition.
Standing Committee of the International Chamber of Writers & Artists
Saturday, 30 August 2025
CELEBRATING TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 63rd. INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY
Tuesday, 19 August 2025
GRATEFUL TO CIESART SPAIN FOR MY NOMINATION FOR THE MAR DE CRISTAL AWARD FOR LITERATURE
BRENDA MOHAMMED OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO HAS BEEN NOMINATED BY CIESART SPAIN FOR THE MAR DE CRISTAL AWARD FOR LITERATURE.