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Rain and Embers
A raw and unfiltered debut, Rain and Embers explores far-reaching themes of migration, trauma, abuse, racism, religion, philosophy, intimacy, love, loss, forgiveness, and redemption.
Ali Nuri was born to a Shi’a family in the southern marshlands of Iraq at the height of the Iran-Iraq War. As a persecuted religious sect, they were attacked by the tyrannical government under Saddam Hussein and fled across the desert to escape. He spent his childhood reeling from the trauma of being uprooted and forced to migrate. Ali survived four grueling years in a refugee camp in Saudi Arabia before being granted asylum by the United States at the age of 7.
Trading one oppression for another, the pervasive feeling of alienation drew him to writing as a means of expression. Equal parts intimate self-portrait and universal rumination, Rain and Embers paints a vivid picture of life as an Iraqi refugee in post-9/11 America.
197 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2019
About the author
Ali Nuri
1 book88 followersAli Nuri is an Iraqi American poet and the author of Rain and Embers (2019). He was born in Diwaniyah, Iraq, but was raised in the U.S. after fleeing persecution. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Edinboro University. His work has been featured in several articles and reviews, including Tweetspeak Poetry, Scriptable, the Erie Reader, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 6, 2019
This is an absolutely stunning collection. With its recurring themes of love and loss, landscape and migration, war and trauma, it offers a realistic, and frequently heartbreaking, portrayal of the enormous difficulties faced by migrants in this troubled modern world. An important, beautiful and brilliant debut from Ali Nuri.
January 23, 2020
Real Rating: 4.75* of five
How does an Arab immigrant to the US, living in Las Vegas...possibly the most American place on Earth's surface, parched and dry and hot and gaudy...process his fragmented identity? Who is he, why is he that person, and most of all...why should you care?
Because identity as an American is front and center in the life of the country in the 21st century. Because the answers to those questions matter more than ever. Historically immigration has stirred violent passions in the hoi polloi as the lower classes seek to be better than someone, anyone at all, and the upper classes seek to ensure their fiscal and social stranglehold on the national discourse (and treasury) that it may never be allowed to stray into a real, egalitarian call for justice.
This is what you see before you right now, theydies and gentlethem. The latest salvo in a long-running war against ordinary people by those who profit from their labor. And Ali Nuri, disadvantaged in this country by several layers of identity, has prospered, is contributing to the society that would turn on him in a heartbeat because he's darker skinned than the ideal held up to all who enter this closed and inbred culture.
The rest is TL;DR for the site. It's on my blog now.
#ReadingIsResistance to Othering the immigrant out of the national conversation. Understanding what someone feels is the best way I know of to overcome easy, lazy Othering.
How does an Arab immigrant to the US, living in Las Vegas...possibly the most American place on Earth's surface, parched and dry and hot and gaudy...process his fragmented identity? Who is he, why is he that person, and most of all...why should you care?
Because identity as an American is front and center in the life of the country in the 21st century. Because the answers to those questions matter more than ever. Historically immigration has stirred violent passions in the hoi polloi as the lower classes seek to be better than someone, anyone at all, and the upper classes seek to ensure their fiscal and social stranglehold on the national discourse (and treasury) that it may never be allowed to stray into a real, egalitarian call for justice.
This is what you see before you right now, theydies and gentlethem. The latest salvo in a long-running war against ordinary people by those who profit from their labor. And Ali Nuri, disadvantaged in this country by several layers of identity, has prospered, is contributing to the society that would turn on him in a heartbeat because he's darker skinned than the ideal held up to all who enter this closed and inbred culture.
The rest is TL;DR for the site. It's on my blog now.
#ReadingIsResistance to Othering the immigrant out of the national conversation. Understanding what someone feels is the best way I know of to overcome easy, lazy Othering.
December 18, 2019
This collection is compelling, from the cover to the very last page.
Ali sets the emotional and creative tone from the very beginning.
How it rains fire from "cloud-shaped planes" to the dedication about Jeffar,
communicating in a way that transcends verbal speech despite mutism.
Duality seems to be rooted in almost every aspect of this book.
"For Jeffar
autism does not define you
nor do mute reflections
render you speechless
you spoke in smiles,
the only words
worth hearing"
Rain and Embers is the kind of story we need to be reading in 2019. As a U.S. citizen, I have watched in horror over the last year or so as migrants have had their human rights stripped away at my country's border. As of recently, I've been on a refugee/migrant book search, but admittedly have found very few, and fewer still that are realistic about the dehumanizing aspects of war and migration paired with the discrimination found within the new home countries of those who "made it."
I found this book of free verse very accessible, but the ideas expressed are ones that need to be examined, savored, and re-examined. This collection of poetry respects the intellect of the reader, it dives deep into the philosophical questions that linger in our minds. Rain and Embers isn't just the story of a refugee who found "freedom"; this is a profoundly human story that we can all relate to, about the will to survive when you have been treated as a disposable thing over and over again.
It's about being honest with yourself, accepting your flaws, and highlighting the fragments of trauma that linger long after a refugee/immigrant has settled into their new home. Right away, the poetry tears into the reader. Nuri doesn't hold back here; there is no romanticization or artifice to be found. The poems are all well written and are surprisingly creative.
Even as he ventures beyond the traumas of his childhood, loves found and lost, and the elusive search for a place to call home, the war-ravaged background acts as a visceral undercurrent to it all. This collection is the seamlessly flowing poetry that recalls the literary works of the greats more than the works of his contemporaries.
Some of my favorite lines from the collection (though it's hard to choose just a few):
"I'm afraid of waking up
to a world where you see
and I am not what you saw"
"God is a woman
intimate at night
and a hung devil
in the morning"
Ali sets the emotional and creative tone from the very beginning.
How it rains fire from "cloud-shaped planes" to the dedication about Jeffar,
communicating in a way that transcends verbal speech despite mutism.
Duality seems to be rooted in almost every aspect of this book.
"For Jeffar
autism does not define you
nor do mute reflections
render you speechless
you spoke in smiles,
the only words
worth hearing"
Rain and Embers is the kind of story we need to be reading in 2019. As a U.S. citizen, I have watched in horror over the last year or so as migrants have had their human rights stripped away at my country's border. As of recently, I've been on a refugee/migrant book search, but admittedly have found very few, and fewer still that are realistic about the dehumanizing aspects of war and migration paired with the discrimination found within the new home countries of those who "made it."
I found this book of free verse very accessible, but the ideas expressed are ones that need to be examined, savored, and re-examined. This collection of poetry respects the intellect of the reader, it dives deep into the philosophical questions that linger in our minds. Rain and Embers isn't just the story of a refugee who found "freedom"; this is a profoundly human story that we can all relate to, about the will to survive when you have been treated as a disposable thing over and over again.
It's about being honest with yourself, accepting your flaws, and highlighting the fragments of trauma that linger long after a refugee/immigrant has settled into their new home. Right away, the poetry tears into the reader. Nuri doesn't hold back here; there is no romanticization or artifice to be found. The poems are all well written and are surprisingly creative.
Even as he ventures beyond the traumas of his childhood, loves found and lost, and the elusive search for a place to call home, the war-ravaged background acts as a visceral undercurrent to it all. This collection is the seamlessly flowing poetry that recalls the literary works of the greats more than the works of his contemporaries.
Some of my favorite lines from the collection (though it's hard to choose just a few):
"I'm afraid of waking up
to a world where you see
and I am not what you saw"
"God is a woman
intimate at night
and a hung devil
in the morning"
December 8, 2019
My husband introduced me to this book today and I read it one sitting. The poetry contained within its pages is truly beautiful.
September 22, 2019
Beautiful
"fuck poetry I write reality, a language created through an alphabet of hurt, suffering in stark black lines— a calligraphy of emotions, every letter an ocean"
Thank you to the publisher for this ARC.
Heavy at times, this is poetry for the brain, rather than the heart. Though my heart was touched many times while I read this. He talks about being branded, escaping his country and being the wrong color. But there is love in this poetry as well. It balances.
"fuck poetry I write reality, a language created through an alphabet of hurt, suffering in stark black lines— a calligraphy of emotions, every letter an ocean"
Thank you to the publisher for this ARC.
Heavy at times, this is poetry for the brain, rather than the heart. Though my heart was touched many times while I read this. He talks about being branded, escaping his country and being the wrong color. But there is love in this poetry as well. It balances.
October 9, 2019
In Rain and Embers, Ali Nuri, an American of Iraqi origin, has written a tell-all about his challenging life and the great love of his life. But, in the words of Emily Dickinson, he has "told it slant." Meaning that he uses the medium of poetic storytelling. I especially identified with and enjoyed his poems about the one great love of his life. Nuri's early life as a refugee seeking asylum and safety from oppression can only be described as something no child--anyone--should ever have to experience. I am so grateful that he found both the words and inner passion to bare his beautiful soul to his readers.
August 8, 2019
The poems in this book are vivid, beautiful, sad, imaginative, harsh, insightful, amazingly wonderful!
I loved every poem, some brought tears, some brought smiles,
some brought anger, others blew me away because
they were so intense.
Each poem held me in its grasp from beginning to end!
The poet has much to be proud of, he has give this book of poem
a life of it own. Congratulations to this poet/ writer!!! Well done, my hats off to you!!!
Super poems, amazing ink!!!!!!!
I loved every poem, some brought tears, some brought smiles,
some brought anger, others blew me away because
they were so intense.
Each poem held me in its grasp from beginning to end!
The poet has much to be proud of, he has give this book of poem
a life of it own. Congratulations to this poet/ writer!!! Well done, my hats off to you!!!
Super poems, amazing ink!!!!!!!
November 25, 2019
I don't typically read poetry, but I loved this book.
August 15, 2019
Drawn right in
I was drawn deep into the emotions of this author right from the beginning including his heartfelt and poetic dedication. His words drawn so beautiful on each page. I didn't put it down. It consumed me and I keep it close to feel his words again and again. I highly recommend this book of poetic expression. It speaks about love, hurt, diversity, feelings of not belonging , and survival. Beauty and goodness can simply grow in a child's heart....even in a desert.
I was drawn deep into the emotions of this author right from the beginning including his heartfelt and poetic dedication. His words drawn so beautiful on each page. I didn't put it down. It consumed me and I keep it close to feel his words again and again. I highly recommend this book of poetic expression. It speaks about love, hurt, diversity, feelings of not belonging , and survival. Beauty and goodness can simply grow in a child's heart....even in a desert.
December 20, 2019
Rain and Embers by Ali Nuri is one of the best poetry collections I have read in a while. His talent lifts each page and the words situated on it to tell a vivid story about identity, belonging and displacement as well as exploring love and what it’s like to live in our twenty-first century world. Rain and Embers reads as a lived experience.
To Be a Murmur begins the collection and sets the tone for the first half of Rain and Embers. Nuri became a refugee in 1991 when Saddam Hussein attacked his home city in Iraq. Nuri resurrects these painful memories and experiences yet still finds and conjures beauty with his words. The Mirage of a Forest in the Ruins is another poem which outlines how displacement feels - how lacking a sense of belonging throws you far out into the middle of a sea which doesn’t look like the sea. Followed shortly by poems like Dead Language, Nuri reveals his fears about what will become of his heritage.
From here, Nuri explores faith and its significance to us as well as the questions it raises time and time again; as we live in a world supposedly created by God’s love which has given a home to so much evil. The seamless link into poems about Nuri’s own identity is wonderful - Namesake explores one’s reflection and I couldn’t help but draw connections to the idea we are made in God’s image yet become so different, and wondering what this means, if it means anything at all.
Nuri looks even further inward as the collection begins to reach its denouement with incredible poems like Treachery Through Time and Necropolis of the Sun as he seeks meaning and answers in himself and the world around him.
Finally, Love and Loss are explored and it is my belief any poetry collection must include poems of this ilk. These feelings are so incredibly natural - human and animal - and one of my favourite things is to see how these emotions, written about for centuries, always find new voices. Poems like The Shape of Absence and Feelings excellently portray a sense of loss or distance whilst Ra and -Your Name celebrate a multi-faceted love. Nuri also explores these emotions within himself, with the Log poems reflecting an inner monologue seeking peace and purpose.
But what I appreciate the most about Nuri’s work is how he always acknowledges the existence of hope; despite all of the heartache and trauma.
“and a river of honey
will flow eternally” (Inner Beauty)
To Be a Murmur begins the collection and sets the tone for the first half of Rain and Embers. Nuri became a refugee in 1991 when Saddam Hussein attacked his home city in Iraq. Nuri resurrects these painful memories and experiences yet still finds and conjures beauty with his words. The Mirage of a Forest in the Ruins is another poem which outlines how displacement feels - how lacking a sense of belonging throws you far out into the middle of a sea which doesn’t look like the sea. Followed shortly by poems like Dead Language, Nuri reveals his fears about what will become of his heritage.
From here, Nuri explores faith and its significance to us as well as the questions it raises time and time again; as we live in a world supposedly created by God’s love which has given a home to so much evil. The seamless link into poems about Nuri’s own identity is wonderful - Namesake explores one’s reflection and I couldn’t help but draw connections to the idea we are made in God’s image yet become so different, and wondering what this means, if it means anything at all.
Nuri looks even further inward as the collection begins to reach its denouement with incredible poems like Treachery Through Time and Necropolis of the Sun as he seeks meaning and answers in himself and the world around him.
Finally, Love and Loss are explored and it is my belief any poetry collection must include poems of this ilk. These feelings are so incredibly natural - human and animal - and one of my favourite things is to see how these emotions, written about for centuries, always find new voices. Poems like The Shape of Absence and Feelings excellently portray a sense of loss or distance whilst Ra and -Your Name celebrate a multi-faceted love. Nuri also explores these emotions within himself, with the Log poems reflecting an inner monologue seeking peace and purpose.
But what I appreciate the most about Nuri’s work is how he always acknowledges the existence of hope; despite all of the heartache and trauma.
“and a river of honey
will flow eternally” (Inner Beauty)
February 15, 2020
First off, thank you to the publisher for providing me the amazing opportunity to own this wonderful book. Rain and Embers is a powerful collection of poems that sparks a wide variety of feelings within the reader. It's definitely a must read in my opinion.
January 12, 2020
Fire and Ember is a showcase of poet Ali Nuri’s range as a poet. As an Arab-American who came to America as a young refugee after Hussain’s attack on his family’s community, this collection expresses in many pieces the fear of fleeing his home country and the discomfort of growing up as a middle-eastern Muslim in predominantly white-Christian America. However, he also writes about love and longing, about life and the passage of time and the affection he holds toward his pet cat. From poem to poem, the reader is lead through a variety of emotions over the course of many stages of Nuri’s growth as a person. I am not sure if this collection was published in chronological order of when they were written, of if they were sorted at a later date, but either way, I enjoyed how it seemed to illustrate the author’s growth from frightened and alone to seemingly happy and content, though still striving for an even happier life to come. Nuri’s a very skilled poet, and reading his author biography at the end made me appreciate it even more, and I am glad I chose to read it as it gave me even more insight into his life than what I could assume from the poetry alone. I hope this collection receives many more readers in the future, as he definitely deserves it, and in the current political climate in the United States, a poet who has experienced the horrors going on in the middle east and is now doing is best to live a positive and fulfilled life in a country that has given his shelter in law alone may open a lot of people’s eyes and hearts to accept people of all colors and creeds. Even without the political aura surrounding it, though, Nuri definitely has the potential to shine in the literary world, if he is given the proper chance.
August 31, 2019
There is beauty in this collection of poems, but as a whole it didn't consistently resonate or move me. It was a worthwhile read for it's best moments though. The best Nuri is when the subject is that of the refugee experience that the author knows so personally.
"We are nomads, home remains elsewhere / as foreign as the lands we left and the ones we now dwell on"
Within this context, the poet asks to be seen in my favorite poem as simply "something more than less."
"We are nomads, home remains elsewhere / as foreign as the lands we left and the ones we now dwell on"
Within this context, the poet asks to be seen in my favorite poem as simply "something more than less."
January 3, 2020
Kept my attention throughout
April 30, 2020
The complexity, history, personal narrative, and raw emotion that is woven into 'Rain and Embers' makes it an extremely layered and breathtaking experience for the reader. Ali Nuri writes about his experiences with not only his soul but with his intellect--his deep knowledge of his motherland is used to create symbolism that unravels anew with each read. This book is a lot like looking at the night sky. You can look at it and certainly appreciate it for face value--as mesmerizing lights in the dark, or you can dive into the constellations and find yourself challenged by and in awe of the calculated creativity expressed with each verse. I truly cannot wait to see what he publishes next.
November 20, 2021
This book was one of the best poetries I read this year. The writing of Ali Nuri touched my heart so much. The poems and the style of poetry were so unique and elegant. The poems felt like they were coming from his heart and touching mine. Each poetry was beautifully written but the one thing that I didn't like was that I couldn't understand the context of some poems. I couldn't relate to some of them but still, overall, the poems were nicely written and cleanly carved making it definitely worth trying once.
August 24, 2019
A friend recommended this book and I was hesitant at first. One of the most varied books of poetry that I admired more with each poem. The author knows how to grab attention and hold it while I contemplated on what I could relate to. With today's topics of discussion, this book has a place of importance across time.
January 29, 2020
A beautiful, poetic recounting of a refugee’s journey.
You can tell every word is written from the author’s heart and soul.
You can tell every word is written from the author’s heart and soul.
June 24, 2024
**Won this to review**
Alright, this collection of poetry takes you on a profound journey exploring themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. Nuri's words have a remarkable way of piercing straight to the core, evoking feelings of both vulnerability and empowerment.
The poems are like whispers from a close friend who’s been through the wringer and lived to tell the tale. There’s an authenticity to Nuri's voice that makes the emotions feel tangible and relatable. The imagery is vivid, painting pictures that linger long after you've turned the page.
The poems in this collection are predominantly written in free verse style, which may not appeal to those who prefer more structured forms of poetry. The use of metaphors and imagery in some of the poems might come across as overly abstract, and at times, the metaphors can feel a bit forced, almost as if the author is trying too hard to convey profound meaning.
Rain and Embers is a captivating poetry book for anyone who enjoys poems that explore human emotions deeply. Get ready to shed a tear or two and maybe even do some self-reflection.
Alright, this collection of poetry takes you on a profound journey exploring themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. Nuri's words have a remarkable way of piercing straight to the core, evoking feelings of both vulnerability and empowerment.
The poems are like whispers from a close friend who’s been through the wringer and lived to tell the tale. There’s an authenticity to Nuri's voice that makes the emotions feel tangible and relatable. The imagery is vivid, painting pictures that linger long after you've turned the page.
The poems in this collection are predominantly written in free verse style, which may not appeal to those who prefer more structured forms of poetry. The use of metaphors and imagery in some of the poems might come across as overly abstract, and at times, the metaphors can feel a bit forced, almost as if the author is trying too hard to convey profound meaning.
Rain and Embers is a captivating poetry book for anyone who enjoys poems that explore human emotions deeply. Get ready to shed a tear or two and maybe even do some self-reflection.
January 22, 2023
These wonderful poems are a personal journey that Ali Nuri takes across desert and around the world, his personal experiences as a child and an adult, and his struggle to find his voice as a refugee in
There is an impressive range of topics pulled together with facets of life, faith, and race. The poems are a beautiful reflection of darkness and light whilst challenging us to look deeper.
Thank you for this book and for sharing your incredible life journey with us.
There is an impressive range of topics pulled together with facets of life, faith, and race. The poems are a beautiful reflection of darkness and light whilst challenging us to look deeper.
Thank you for this book and for sharing your incredible life journey with us.
August 29, 2021
Beautifully written and straight from the soul. Vividly written, insightful, Thought provoking, eye opening, intellectually stimulating, and full of emotion. I don't typically read poetry but I absolutely loved this book. The author truly has a gift for writing. He's been able to take traumatic events in his life and weave them into something honest and beautiful.
**Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest unbiased review**Free media does not affect my review.**
**Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest unbiased review**Free media does not affect my review.**
April 8, 2022
I used to read (and write) a lot of poetry, but it's been quite awhile since I've picked up a book of poetry. Needless to say, this book turned out to be an unexpected pleasure. It was so sensuous and magical, with gorgeous, haunting imagery.
Nuri's writing feels both contemporary and classic. He's very skilled in the mechanics of poetry and his use of language is quite stunning.
Nuri's writing feels both contemporary and classic. He's very skilled in the mechanics of poetry and his use of language is quite stunning.
January 1, 2021
Ali Nuri and his tongue, his pen, sends vibrations of feeling all throughout the bones of his readers, over and over — an ouroboros of poetry.
Read the full review: berryherwithpoems.com/2021/01/01/a-ra...
Read the full review: berryherwithpoems.com/2021/01/01/a-ra...
September 22, 2021
Why is this book so underrated? My brain simply cannot comprehend, why and how? This book deserves so much more. All the poems in this book are absolutely amazing. I highly recommend everyone to read it.
February 23, 2020
I am grateful for having won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
Beautiful poems, many heartbreaking and sad, covering a variety of topics, love, family, refugee experience, environment, technology. I enjoyed also the visual aspect with the insertion of Arabic script and/or words broken down over several lines.
Beautiful poems, many heartbreaking and sad, covering a variety of topics, love, family, refugee experience, environment, technology. I enjoyed also the visual aspect with the insertion of Arabic script and/or words broken down over several lines.
February 20, 2025
As a woman with an Arab heritage, and with a father who fled the war, I connected with Rain and Embers, particularly its exploration of fragmented identity. The poems about war trauma and the refugee experience were especially powerful. Nuri’s writing captures universal emotions, so much that for most of the book, I found myself questioning whether the author was a woman or a man, which almost never happens for me. An underrated book.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews