<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><font face="HelveticaNeue" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">Love Letter from Baghdad</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">Call me Rabia. I was</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">named for the Sufi Saint.</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">Blood pumps through the four</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">chambers of my heart,</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">swift and scarlet with joy or slow</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">and bruised black with sorrow.</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">We are the same.</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">This morning, as I pin up wash</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">in my rubbled court yard,</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">the long fingers of the sun reach</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">over the desert and sting my sleepless</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">eyes like dust, like diesel fumes.</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">There’s an explosion.</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">Did you hear it?</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">My neighbor sinks to the ground</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">in the folds of her burka,</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">a dark flower, rocking and keening,</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">her bloodied grandchild in her arms.</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">The earth trembles with</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">the terrible sound of her grief.</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">We are the same.</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">I want to share sweet memories</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">with you, of date palm and pomegranate,</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">the hay fragrance of saffron, the song</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">of the nightingale. I invite you</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">to share yours with me.</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">We are the same.</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">Come sister, let’s raise our arms</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">and begin. We’ll spin</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">and dance like the Sufis.</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">It will take as many turns</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">as there are stars</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">to make this right.</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">We do not yet know the steps.</span><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Gail Barker</span></font></div></body></html>