Abstract by WC Quinn | One Poem Only

Abstract by WC Quinn | One Poem Only

Author: Maggie Devers April 29, 2026 Duration: 1:39

One Poem Only is a daily poetry podcast offering a quiet moment with a single poem—read aloud, without analysis or noise.

Abstract

WC Quinn

My pieces appear askew, but I am no Picasso
just a Girl Before a Mirror trying to love myself
despite the flaws in my reflection
I keep counting my brush strokes
grooming tangles in penance.
My tongue’s burden is language
The She Wolf bellow calls to me; I don’t reply
my words, sticky sweet honey,
smacking heavy in the roof of my mouth
splatters canvas akin to Pollock.
My nightmares covet reality
so call me a dream walker; lucid surrealist
observing life like Dali from below the waters
bearing witness to The Metamorphosis of Narcissus
unsure if I am art or artist.
My heart stenciled with purpose
in the face of perpetual loss; A Girl with Balloon
black and white statements stricken
with red accents
Recognizable / Unknown.

More from WC Quinn ↓


Support + Stay Connected to OPO

If you’d like to support the show, Substack and Patreon members receive a copy of my book, For My Daughter, along with episodes from the audiobook.

Poetry sustains. Thank you for supporting the podcast.


Each day, One Poem Only offers a brief, deliberate pause. Hosted by Maggie Devers, this podcast is built on a simple, consistent premise: a single poem, read aloud, without analysis or introduction. It’s an audio space where the words themselves are the event, a performance meant to be absorbed in the few minutes it takes to hear it. The daily rhythm of the show creates a quiet ritual, a point of reflection woven into a busy life. You might hear a classic sonnet, a piece of modern free verse, or a work from a poet you’ve never encountered. The selection is varied, touching on themes from the natural world to the intricacies of human emotion, always leaving room for your own interpretation. The effect is cumulative; listening regularly becomes a subtle form of education in the sound and scope of poetry, and a small act of self-care. This isn't a lecture or a book club, but a performing art delivered directly to your ears. Maggie’s clear, thoughtful readings provide the only framework needed, allowing each poem to stand entirely on its own. The curtain falls, and the moment passes, but the podcast invites you to return tomorrow when a new piece takes center stage, offering another quiet moment, one poem only.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

One Poem Only
Podcast Episodes
CAUTION: STUDENT DRIVER by Carly Thompson | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21
One Poem Only is a daily ritual: one poem, center stage, just for now.CAUTION: STUDENT DRIVERCarly ThompsonI’ve jumped out of the boatthe churning water turns to smokemy mind is a black sand beachthe world is one of thos…
To Be a Salamander by Rachel Turney | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24
One Poem Only is a daily ritual: one poem, center stage, just for now.To Be a Salamander Rachel Turney I want to be like you. I crave your regenerative abilities.Does the heart count as a limb? If so, I could regrow thep…
Not mine anymore by Avalon | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28
One Poem Only is a daily poetry podcast offering a quiet moment with a single poem—read aloud, without analysis or noise. Not mine anymore Avalon If my words are my ownThey are all that I haveExcept... that’s not quite r…
Butterscotch by Amy Laessle-Morgan | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:32
A daily reading from One Poem Only—a quiet space for a single poem, read aloud.ButterscotchAmy Laessle-MorganSomewhere between the amberblush streetlight of Divisionand the butterscotch stain on the back of my throat,the…
Dear Personal Care Department God by Chris Kads | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21
One Poem Only is a daily poetry podcast offering a quiet moment with a single poem—read aloud, without analysis or noise.Dear Personal Care Department GodChris KadsAfter Lancee WhetmanGod of the Personal Care Department,…
Ugly Bones by Ella B. Winters | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35
A daily reading from One Poem Only—a quiet space for a single poem, read aloud.Ugly Bones by Ella B. WintersElla B. WintersBehind the dusty radiator,green splashed like bloodspray in a B-film, from that timewhen you deci…
When the Moon is full by GiGi | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39
One Poem Only is a daily ritual: one poem, center stage, just for now.When the Moon is fullGiGiWhen the Moon is Full,She never holds Me by the hand.She grabs right behind thegape of My neck anddrags me to all I've been a…
This is How I Die by Kris Aziz | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:44
One Poem Only is a daily ritual: one poem, center stage, just for now.This is How I DieKris AzizThis is how I dieGlass reflecting moonlighton the pavementMetal and gasoline mixing withBlood in the airA paramedic holding…
First Draft by Jo Wright | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:42
One Poem Only is a daily poetry podcast offering a quiet moment with a single poem—read aloud, without analysis or noise. First DraftJo WrightI don’t want AI.I want bees and seasDeep evergreen forestsGreat honeycombsIcec…