In this stunning collection - the first since the American invasion - Iraqis themselves vividly depict the bombing of Baghdad, the fall of Saddam Hussein, the invaders (on both sides), the sectarian violence - and in the midst of it all, the hardships, loves, and hopes of the Iraqi people. This collection was compiled by Iraqis living and working in Baghdad as well as by Iraqis in exile in the U.S. Poets, editors, and translators in Iraq run the daily risk of suicide bombers, gunfire from all sides, and death squads.

The poems included here represent Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, the living and the dead, those who remain in Iraq, and those who fled. It is a testament to the courage of all of the contributors. Flowers of Flame gives us a deeply touching vision of the heart - and the hope - of today's Iraq.