Poems of Nisreen Masha’leh (Jordan)

Once Upon a Time
Nisreen Masha’leh

I was like a cloud
hanging in the sky,
waiting to be chosen.
Dreamers of rain
watched me,
whispering:
“Rain, rain…”
No more.
I was like a free wind;
no wall,
no road
could stop me.
I would reach the sea.
When I arrived,
I would not sink.
I hovered
at the edge of the earth.
Sometimes I fell,
sometimes I scattered.
Then I became
a mythical creature,
crawling through
another land of dreams.
That was once upon a time.


It’s Time to Rekindle the Flame of Love
Nisreen Masha’leh

In the nights to come, seek me, my love,
through endless chambers,
along the long corridors,
among the trees that embrace one another
in the gardens of your palace.
Search for me in the city’s narrow lanes,
between the swift clouds crossing the sky,
in the faces of women
queuing at your palace door,
each dreaming of your gaze.
Search for me
in the shadows cast by the moon
upon the walls of your palace.
Search until existence,
people, and the world itself
fade away—
until I become your only preoccupation,
until day and night dissolve into one,
until sleep abandons your weary eyes.
It is an overwhelming longing:
to embrace my shadow,
to breathe the faint trace of my scent
lingering at the edge of your bed.
Then I will come to you.
I will return
as a soul returns to a body
that has forgotten how to live—
quietly,
like breath returning
to the lips of one
who has almost slipped away.



Dreaming of You
Nisreen Masha’leh

Dream of the forbidden fruit
in Adam’s garden.
You are there,
hanging from the tree of disobedience,
while I am caught
in the very moment of sin.
I steal a glance at you.
I see nothing but you.
Your beautiful lack of reason
draws me closer.
Tell me,
how do I extinguish your fire
without burning myself?
Your invitation reached me
with the first flame,
written in invisible ink:
Let us burn together.
Let me taste your ashes.
O my fasting heart,
through the long fast—
bitterness,
sweetness.
I sway
on the swing of fantasies,
wondering:
How do I taste
your love now?




Biography:
Nisreen Masha’leh is a writer and poet of Jordan. Her work explores human emotions, memory, identity, displacement, and the complexities of the human experience. She writes poetry, short fiction, novels, and literary essays  blending vivid imagery with emotional and social depth.

She is the author of 'Daughter of Adam', a novel published by Diwan Al-Arab Publishing and Distribution in Cairo, and the author of Darkness Pastures. Her literary work has received recognition through Arab and international literary competitions, including awards for her short stories and poetry.

Her writing has appeared in literary and cultural publications, and her work has been featured in cultural interviews and platforms across the Arab world. She is also interested in developing literary works for the screen, bringing together literature, visual storytelling, and human experience.

Through her writing, Masha’leh seeks to give voice to the marginalized, the displaced, and those whose stories often remain unheard. Her work explores the relationship between memory, place, loss, hope, and the enduring power of dreams.