DREAMING NO ABBREVIATION
Poem By Ibtisam Barakat

War is a mirror
of the heart . . .
The corner where
no one can touch us
is where we hide
our embers. . .
War is the abbreviation
of "we are" . . .
and we are:
Arabs,
Americans,
Tibetans
Girls
Boys
Chicanos
Cherokees
Jews
English
Russian
African
Chinese
Buddhists
Muslims
Christians
or good
Godless people
to name a few of us. . .
War is the abbreviation
of "we are" . . .
Who in your heart
do you wish
to see
abbreviated?

Note: Dreaming No Abbreviation poem was written in Alaska during an author visit to the school district. It has been shared with many audiences in many countries. If your groups is not part of the groups mentioned here, please consider yourself added, and spelled out completely!