Ibtisam Barakat's poem "Palestine"

Ibtisam Barakat's "Palestine"

To all of the Palestinians who have never seen Palestine...

Palestine


At the check out register
At an office-supplies store
I am getting ready to
Buy the world --
The globe that is
Fifty dollars, the man says
195 countries all
For 50 dollars.
I am thinking –
That means 25 cents
A country..
Can I give you a dollar
And you throw in
Palestine?
Where do you want it?
He says.
Wherever there are
Palestinians


-- Ibtisam Barakat

'Tasting the Sky': An Interview With Ibtisam Barakat