https://www.shanti-author.com/post/chemistry 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_31efbe8a27ea4298ad2202b93765856a~mv2.png Silhouette of a human figure filled with stars above swirling cosmic waves, symbolizing stardust, energy, and universal connection, created for the poem "Chemistry". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/tashi-delek-magazine 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_2121a2ee84f44e5b8b7785ba3887ca0f~mv2.jpg Tashi Delek Magazine: The Most Beautiful Valley https://www.shanti-author.com/post/memories-crossing-social-borders 2026-05-23 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_403b6835b898443e89897a5f5b0cca32~mv2.png Urban school vs. idyllic campus https://www.shanti-author.com/post/time-to-go 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_1c4d674af5494708ab7a38ef01ba62ee~mv2.png Man standing before an elevator with an upward arrow, created for the novel "Time to Go". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/dharma-lesson-in-dharamsala 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_aacc1b8e475b42e2852483e8cffdfb8d~mv2.png Image for short short story “Dharma Lesson in Dharamsala” showing a three-wheeler taxi parked on a mountain road at dusk overlooking distant village lights. https://www.shanti-author.com/post/bid-farewell-to-2020-but-hold-onto-your-hats 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_ec424d3526f847d88213e41d4799fde8~mv2.png Times Square New Year’s Eve crowd watching the 2021 ball with fireworks, created for the AOS Perspectives Blog post "Bid Farewell to 2020! But Hold Onto Your Hats!" https://www.shanti-author.com/post/from-the-wood-of-a-flowering-tree 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_1572ac269f4e40679a61448d1722e927~mv2.png A single branch transitioning through four seasons: spring blossoms, ripe pears, autumn leaves, and a bare snowy winter branch with scattered seeds on the ground, created for the poem “From the Wood of a Flowering Tree.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/surfboard-linguistics 2025-12-10 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_07941e8969a240cb836e87afa081b2b4~mv2.png Photo of a surfboard lying on wet sand near turbulent waves, symbolizing miscommunication, physical struggle, and the ocean’s relentless lessons in the poem “Surfboard Linguistics.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/rising 2025-12-10 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_177c690a981744d8ae183d3df0938d32~mv2.png Photo of a man sitting on the edge of a bed at dawn, staring toward a window with curtains blowing inward, symbolizing awakening, lingering fear, and the shift from night to morning in the poem “Rising.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/language 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_6fb0881adafd4ecf90875128ba0f165e~mv2.png Young person bathed in warm golden light surrounded by childhood symbols like toys, webs, and kites, representing dreams, memory, and the inner symbolic language explored in the poem "Language". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/angel 2026-05-06 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_2835924d8e4949df9e4566efc4e82590~mv2.png Little girl holding white mouse https://www.shanti-author.com/post/old-soul 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_4159e52e0d0f4c74b8324a2c2f853f90~mv2.png Elderly wise figure gazing over Earth from space, created for the novel "Old Soul". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/_lost 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_1b4f2023356e4a979aca0eefa21a6734~mv2.png Whiteout blizzard scene with swirling snow obscuring a dark building shape, created for the short short story "Lost". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/words 2025-12-10 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_94187a1dd79c46f3b93e180a5b5d80e7~mv2.png Illustration of glowing crystal shards and spiderweb-like threads with the word “words” emerging from darkness, symbolizing creativity, expression, and the transformative power of language in the poem “Words.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/an-almost-ode-to-a-paper-clip 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_a76148da5c204bc69e77acd1a6d79d16~mv2.png Image created for the poem “An Almost Ode to a Paper Clip", showing close-up papers stacked on a desk with a large gold paper clip on top and silver paper clips scattered in small trays. https://www.shanti-author.com/post/night-dance 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_77b925a380e44c9eb52391d05bcc9c07~mv2.png Illustration of frogs leaping and sitting on lily pads at sunset, with tadpoles and fish swimming beneath an orange sky reflected on a calm pond created for the poem “Night Dance.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/changing-roles 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_f0e0d44a31c94e27ae916360e5fe4aeb~mv2.png Photo of an adult daughter holding the hand of her frail, elderly father in a hospital bed, symbolizing caregiving, mortality, and the reversal of parent – child roles in the poem “Changing Roles.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/broken-wing 2025-12-10 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_c74d9e2efb624dd1ada6f6cca8fcb5c3~mv2.png Photo of a bluebird in mid-flight with wings spread against a clear sky, symbolizing fragile freedom, broken attempts to escape, and the emotional themes of the poem “Broken Wing.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/witness-to-history-9-11-memories-20-years-later 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_e8856abaa9d9412b9deb43c16a2290a3~mv2.png Night view of the 9/11 Memorial with a candle and Tribute in Light beams, created for the memoir "Witness to History: 9/11 Memories 20 Years Later". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/poetry-book-of-love-title-placeholder 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_4fea3a03f1ca496e9dbfafe3fdc904ce~mv2.png Two glowing human forms embracing on a forest floor, illuminated by a beam of light between their heads, surrounded by gravestones and autumn leaves in the poem “Duet.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/yin-yang-and-union 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_e9301ca34f1147a8a312c047f564ab22~mv2.png A couple holding hands beneath a star-filled sky with a glowing fire nearby, symbolizing unity, balance, and the merging of opposite energies in the poem “Yin, Yang and Union.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/dokoudovski 2025-12-10 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/430f555db3d943699524225fc7a0df24.jpg Close-up of worn ballet pointe shoes on a dancer’s feet, symbolizing discipline, pain, and the transformative power of movement expressed in the poem “Dokoudovsky.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/el-gringo 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_6c4e716299f14d319a0695a73dd5ea4b~mv2.jpg Sunlit view of San Miguel de Allende with stone buildings and colorful houses, created for the short story "El Gringo". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/ode-to-joy 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_1919725627cb4c458c71375668bc343e~mv2.png Golden-orange koi fish swimming among lily pads in shimmering blue water, with sunlight streaming down and geometric light patterns glowing above, created for the poem “Ode to Joy.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/monolithic-monologue 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_94919e2be58449d7b6fff283f0eee602~mv2.png Ancient standing stone under a star-filled night sky and Milky Way, weathered and solitary on a grassy landscape, created for the poem "Monolithic Monologue". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/witness-to-history-duck-cover-fear-and-the-red-scare 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_1bd5f768828e4ab6b230af0dee8bd472~mv2.png 1950s classroom with dog tags and “Duck & Cover” written on the chalkboard, created for the memoir "Witness to History: Duck & Cover, Fear and the Red Scare". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/who-are-we 2025-12-10 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_ab4cf564940f4daaa6ccd9ed509d4090~mv2.png Abstract cosmic artwork of a human figure dissolving into stardust with multiple shadowed silhouettes, symbolizing expanded perception, identity, and the boundless nature of being in the poem “Who Are We?” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/in-another-galaxy 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_d9c01d6a744f4388ab4f3989cea712bd~mv2.jpg Warm orange sunset over layered mountain ridgelines with a silhouetted figure standing on an overlook, created for the short short story "A Different Galaxy". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/olympics-opening-day 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_f169ebd3b9394136876b2cac83956d06~mv2.jpg Crowded evening street in Queens decorated with international flags, glowing storefronts, and people walking under vibrant lights at sunset, created for the poem "Olympics Opening Day". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/astronaut 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_163965196f6244a2b57813828b810d7b~mv2.png Silhouette of a person standing on a dark pier at night, surrounded by stars reflecting on a still lake under a vast star-filled sky, created for the poem "Astronaut". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/state-of-the-union-pulling-roots 2025-12-10 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_dac4ca0d5e7743f0a58d157f902099ff~mv2.png Close-up of a dried flower suspended in midair with exposed roots and drifting water droplets, symbolizing uprooting, cultural disconnection, and the longing for reconnection expressed in the poem “State of the Union.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/the-red-qipao 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_ec6ab102ebfc4c43b9e8ce60abe46bda~mv2.jpg Cover of the novel “The Red Qipao,” featuring a red embroidered qipao dress by author Ayo Oum Shanti. https://www.shanti-author.com/post/dance-of-the-cobra 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_be4bf0b8cc7249c2aeb217493114e4f0~mv2.png Golden cobra rising among laboratory glassware with glowing DNA spiraling around its body, created for the poem "Dance of the Cobra". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/in-the-iris-of-the-cosmic-eye 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_3289f70ccab2429dbbb397635ff1378e~mv2.jpeg A vibrant cosmic nebula with swirling colors of purple, blue, and gold, filled with glowing stars and radiant light, resembling the iris of a vast celestial eye in the poem “In the Iris of the Cosmic Eye.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/she-of-babylon 2025-12-10 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_6e6f504024ff400fb2dc439386a5a328~mv2.png Classical-style portrait of an older woman seated by a mirror with shadowy figures behind her, symbolizing aging, fading beauty, desire, and memory in the poem “She of Babylon.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/soul-and-humans 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_a834f8dbbbbc417cb1e2ced65fe69ec2~mv2.png Golden spirit figure holding hands with a human silhouette against a starry sky and Earth, created for the AOS Perspectives Blog post "Soul and Humans". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/transitions-abroad-magazine 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_dc4e48f83a004bfc90634ac3d86a6a1f~mv2.jpg Cover of Transitions Abroad Magazine showing a smiling boy holding colorful matchbox labels, representing international travel stories including the article on ecotourism in a Bhutan village. https://www.shanti-author.com/post/truth-elusive 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_9158a31f378a4cec92985a5a0a86f556~mv2.png A weary armored knight on horseback lowering his lance toward the ground, head bowed, as if wounded by his own weapon, created for the poem "Truth Elusive". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/music 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_ba17e2bbb6bb410eb85c44f745a59cf1~mv2.jpg Kantele, tabla drums, tanpura, and musical altar setup with flowers, created for the AOS Perspectives Blog post "Music: Kantele and the Lifelong Bond of Sound". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/grandma-s-90th-birthday 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_189ba143f7734abfa4d5b84f369850f5~mv2.webp Historic Harlem street unrest in 1964, created for the memoir "Witness to History: Grandma’s 90th Birthday". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/_plow 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_2c4b905528d34e5aa1758befb9e49eb3~mv2.png Golden autumn leaves drifting across a star-filled night sky with flowering branches in the corners, blending earthly growth with a cosmic backdrop, created for the poem "Plow". https://www.shanti-author.com/post/free-to-dance-for-mother 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_394cc6f111514451a26714f3e2392f60~mv2.png A curled skeleton on one side and a glowing woman dancing in swirling blue light on the other, symbolizing death, release, and spiritual freedom in the poem “Free to Dance.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/lash-of-time 2025-12-10 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_6fe7c95df7854ca09903c53d2399bc09~mv2.png Photo of a young woman rushing past the reflected image of an elderly woman in a window, symbolizing the fear of aging, time’s pressure, and the poem’s question: “Why am I rushing?” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/dharamsala-lullabye 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_75b596948d9c4f01ac78e68fc8f18651~mv2.png Soft-lit Himalayan village at night with glowing windows, misty mountains, and drifting prayer flags, created for the poem “Dharamsala Lullabye.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/portrait-of-a-broadway-lady 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_fae1995762fd4fd785b0ad18f958269a~mv2.png Black and white photo of an older woman with wild white hair smoking at a diner counter beside a coffee and doughnut, symbolizing fading glamour, loneliness, and memory loss in the poem “Portrait of a Broadway Lady.” https://www.shanti-author.com/post/it-s-spring-with-fire-healing-the-exhaustion-of-caring 2025-12-11 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fba61_674f9706b6c743388d69a6450d5cc10e~mv2.jpg Yellow spring crocuses emerging in sunlight among green leaves, created for the AOS Perspectives Blog post "It’s Spring – With Fire: Healing the Exhaustion of Caring".