In the Time of Aries

On March 24, 2026March 26, 2026 By Sunra RainzIn Art, flash fiction, Poetry, publication, Writing6 Comments

^{Untitled, by Andrea Bogdan (USA) 2025}

I fly through stratospheres. Across seas, serene with constellation. Towards pulsing, morphing orb. It would like to envelop me into its hope chest, winks a promise at me. This terrene wandering star.

It took so long to flee earth, how keenly I’d made my roots there. Our spirits parted like a primal scream. My wound is fresh. Visible only to those who can see.

Sometimes you look around you and question your reality. Then have to concede It’s true. The nightmare is real. The quickening doom. Before I left. And yet. I hope the blue planet, my once-home, is not lost. Will remake herself from dust and mourning. Despite warlords, villains, demons, plunderers. Must death be the only way for clearing?

Still I pray good things unfurl unseen. Persist in gentle ways. To step out into the light. To bring about a face of earth it always wished to become. How many revolutions will it take? Still I long for my mother. One day. May she flourish and recover and never perish. I miss you, Earth. I love you.

But I have a new assignment now. I am dispatched to a new planet. Whose orange suns beckon me into their orbit. This lone flight, my new form. Stronger and lighter. I have become. Electricity.

I scent a change in atmosphere. A contortion of woodsmoke, a dream on fire. Something I can’t name. I draw close. What awaits me I do not know. Luminous sparks greet me as I tumble into the new realm…

_{© N Nazir 2026}

*My warmest thanks to The Ekphrastic Review for publishing my micro-fiction for their latest challenge. I went a little sci-fi with this one. Not my usual genre to play with, but I never know where the artwork will take me. If you’d like to take part in their current ekphrastic challenge, the deadline is 27th March.

*They also have two exciting anthology calls for both poetry and dark flash fiction. Definitely worth checking out. Deadlines for both: 1st May.

*In case you haven’t already, you may also wish to check out my Throwback Thursday post over at their site. I was honoured to be asked to pick out and share my favourite pieces by a variety of poets and writers over the years ever since the Ekphrastic Challenges began in 2018. There’s so much great work hidden in the archives, it felt good to dust off a few choice pieces and give them another airing 🌟

*Shared for dVerse Open Link Night.

Throwback Thursday #The Ekphrastic Review

On March 19, 2026 By Sunra RainzIn Art, Poetry, publication, Writing6 Comments

The lovely Lorette at The Ekphrastic Review recently asked me to pick some of my favourite TER pieces from their fortnightly challenges over the years for a Throwback Thursday post. Well, of course, I was delighted to be asked! This is the best kind of homework! I thought.

After much careful reading and deliberation, I narrowed it down to 9 pieces that really spoke to me. Yes, yes, one of them is my own, I know. (I was allowed to pick any, okay?). You can find all details on the full post below. Enjoy 🤍

https://www.ekphrastic.net/the-ekphrastic-review/throwback-thursday-with-nina-nazir

^{© N Nazir 2026}

Actually Imperfect

On March 15, 2026 By Sunra RainzIn Activism, Poetry, Writing18 Comments

Still a young science, AI –
yet already
it has set in motion
the inevitability
of water poverty
in just a handful
of years to come.

_{© N Nazir 2026}

*Written for Sammi Scribbles Weekend Writing Prompt: Young, 25 words

*Fun fact of the day disguised as a poem. Sorry about that. It’s true though. So next time you want to create an AI meme of your niece or nephew tap-dancing on the back of a whale or singing in a k-pop video while dressed as a bear, maybe think twice…? It’s been estimated that if we carry on using AI as we are, we have approximately 13 years left of water usage as we know it (drinking, washing, cooking, etc). You can read more about it here and here. There is talk of solutions but that’s all it is, talk. Meanwhile, AI use is exploding.

*Can someone unplug the world then put it back in again to reset the system please?

*Did you know you can disable the AI function on your computer/device by adjusting it in your settings? It’s easy enough to do, you can google the process. Ironically, the immediate AI response will tell you how.

*Feel free to share any positive fun facts in the comments below to take the edge off mine. I would very much welcome it 🤍

One-Liner Wednesday

On March 11, 2026March 11, 2026 By Sunra RainzIn Art, photography, Poetry, Writing9 Comments

*Shared for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesday.

*Most being the operative word. The world is so crazy right now. Just when you think it can’t get worse, it does. There will probably be less and less whimsy from me hereonin.

*Anyway. What are you reading at the moment? I currently have my nose in Stephen Fry’s The Ode Less Travelled. It’s quite an old-school type of poetry handbook but still very readable. How about you?

Oh the World

On March 8, 2026March 12, 2026 By Sunra RainzIn photography, Poetry, Writing35 Comments

Stranger, commune with me
and know that I exist.
We share this universe,
all its peculiarities.
As you read my words,

I carry my charge to you
and we are bridged as one
reality slants into another.
Have you made your self-
inquiry with the blank page

today? Share it with me,
your sensibility. Like koi,
we flow all the while
and change again all
too soon. Don’t we?

Say hello
to your cat for me.

*Written for Sammi Scribbles Weekend Writing Prompt: Sensibility, 76 words

*Shared for dVerse Open Link Night.