2 poems excerpted from her upcoming book of Poetry, "Pariah". 1) mama sweet baklava 2) the relevance of this new post zionism debate to me            Comments? Email editor@cafearabica.cam

everyone got a favorite sweet every woman got a recipe she is baklava back bone strong foundation layers thousand layers upon each other like refugees fleeing or cold children warming each other holding each other against stiff hungry winds thousand and one flaky layers like her nights and her center pistachio walnut crushed years of rough pounded heart hear her crunch in the mouths of men who barely taste blood more layers infinite upon each other pressed into steel children marriage nation woman toothsome and full too much of her aches stomachs but at weddings and circumcisions baklava is tissued and stuffed into pockets purses for coffee later this woman called arab alien to jaw breaker children of flan and chocolate bars too sweet sticky blood the honey the glaze final touch before serving cutting precise like arched eyebrows and enough for everyone her recipe old and passed down through word of hand creating and sustaining substantial delicious one and a thousand chiffon veils of depression and exile dispossession and miles of tears between her and home the home where she is sweet and favorite and her recipe is known and appreciated the walnut almond home of her where she sits back with strong black coffee and finally tastes herself sticky rose water sweet slowly delicious.   the relevance...