Nineteen poems about the Middle East and about being an Arab American living in the United States. "Tell me how to live so many lives at once ..." Fowzi, who beats everyone at dominoes, Ibtisam, who wanted to be a doctor, Abu Mahmoud, who knows every eggplant and peach in his West Bank garden, mysterious Uncle Mohammed, who moved to the mountain, a girl in a red sweater dangling a book bag, children in velvet dresses who haunt the candy bowl at the party Baba Kamalyari, age 71 Mr. Dajani and his swans, Sitti Khadra, who never lost her peace inside. Maybe they have something to tell us

Middle East Book Award, 2003