International Relations
3 different countries sat together at the table
my Saudi friend cooked ketsah, spread it out
on a sheet of aluminum
my Kazakh friend told stories
I listened happily, looking very American (my
skin/hair lit by incandescence)
& our hands were greasy
right after we shook them
rice slowly creeping in
the grooves between our fingers
almost sensual
guava juice
one of the best meals of my life
we finished, sat in front of the computer
excavated our cultures
an Arab woman sang & danced, sans hijab
the audience clapped with the rhythm
of locomotive & steel
I saw a video of Almaty (a glorified
Las Vegas on a vast, yurt-dotted farm)
& then we watched
Palestinian-Americans
scream bloody murder at
the Israeli president
somber silence
then, "Wow"
all I could think about was
they taught me "I love you"
in their native tongues
sadly, I've already forgotten
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