April: A Poem by Ella B. Winters & Write After Recap | One Poem More

April: A Poem by Ella B. Winters & Write After Recap | One Poem More

Author: Maggie Devers May 3, 2026 Duration: 2:38

Sundays on One Poem Only are reserved for the weekly recap, but since we were writing a poem a day with Write After in April, we haven’t had a break for a recap in a month. So today I’m reading a poem that perfectly encapsulates Write After. It is a cento and contains one line from each of the 30 poems shared on One Poem Only during April.

April: A Poem

Ella B. Winters

She never whispers in my ear, unfurling
to swallow my words, abandon me
when I most need her,
while the past rides shotgunsilent.
My mind is a black sand beach. My fingers
stop tracing spines. I've stopped turning
the light on. I have climbed to the top
of the very last tree, gawking
at the sky turning into a riot of gold.
Sadness presses its thumb
into my chest - a cascade
of the most unruly waves,
they sparkle in the morning sun.
Delayed and denied a day's breath,
drums prelude river current tears, draw
together the wet ravines of skin like a zip.
Observing life like Dali from below the waters,
cracked asphalt flowers, reaching
for a Mediterranean sun, stand under
the downpour. If I could
unzip my heart from skin, unleashing
perfection to fully know me, I'd choose
to embrace the perfect contradiction.
My world would be trickling water
in this moss forest, while stars are singing
to us from the cosmos - the masterpiece
I've waited my life to see. How delicately
the water ripples;
I forgive the fluidity.
Let my body be a vessel! I've got enough
words to feed the both of us.
This silence sets me free.

Contains one line from each of the 30 poems shared on the One Poem Only podcast during the April 2026 'Write After' challenge.

More from Ella B. Winters ↓


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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

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