CAUTION: STUDENT DRIVER by Carly Thompson | One Poem Only

CAUTION: STUDENT DRIVER by Carly Thompson | One Poem Only

Author: Maggie Devers April 8, 2026 Duration: 1:40

One Poem Only is a daily ritual: one poem, center stage, just for now.

CAUTION: STUDENT DRIVER

Carly Thompson

I’ve jumped out of the boat
the churning water turns to smoke
my mind is a black sand beach
the world is one of those where time is different
slow, fast, all at once, almost never
if a window doesn’t open, is it a wall?
is it even there?
the cows die all at once and we don’t ask why
we buy sheep instead, not for milk for wool
it is not enough to be called sad and beautiful
remarkable or terrifying
it is not enough to pick up the phone
to text back, to cry on cue
I hover over that plane where one highway
meets another, no one ever taught me to merge

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Mentioned in this episode:

Write After: National Poetry Month with One Poem Only

Write After is a way to encourage poets to listen and write, and use National Poetry Month to highlight how listening to poetry makes us better poets. I know I write the best when I’m surrounded by beautiful poetry–it’s part of the reason I created this podcast, and I want to encourage others to share this practice. We'll get started in April. You can share to #WriteAfterOPO.

#WriteAfterOPO


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: 355

One Poem Only
Podcast Episodes
Still, something by Aditya Gupta | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:23
A daily reading from One Poem Only—a quiet space for a single poem, read aloud. Still, something Aditya Gupta I stopped praying long ago. The gods grew tired of my voice, or maybe I just grew tired of asking for things t…
Museum of Mourning by Maria Corcoran | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:08
One Poem Only is a daily ritual: one poem, center stage, just for now.Museum of Mourning Maria Corcoran This poem was first published in the Raven Review.Ocean of silent, aching desiresDrowned before even taking formGuil…
Human Nature by Lynn L. | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52
One Poem Only is a daily poetry podcast offering a quiet moment with a single poem—read aloud, without analysis or noise. Human NatureLynn L.My fingertips feel the texture of a rose petal,Silken, yes, but silken with the…
Love Song by Dorothy Parker | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:37
One Poem Only is a daily ritual: one poem, center stage, just for now. Love Song Dorothy Parker My own dear love, he is strong and boldAnd he cares not what comes after.His words ring sweet as a chime of gold,And his eye…
Lost Bond by Pinky Faith Okafor | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:13
One Poem Only is a daily poetry podcast offering a quiet moment with a single poem—read aloud, without analysis or noise. Lost Bond Pinky Faith Okafor There are stories the world claims to tell, Yet, we do not hear. Stor…
Patience by Ayesha Mohal | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:56
A daily reading from One Poem Only—a quiet space for a single poem, read aloud.PatienceAyesha MohalYes, you need patience,The patience of a steadfast tree,In autumn, it lets its leaves go free.Believing, not hoping alone…
Butterflied, oh by Yonsiri Rojas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:11
One Poem Only is a daily ritual: one poem, center stage, just for now.Butterflied, ohYonsiri RojasIfish-eyed, butterflied collectionof furrowed bones composed of dustand glitter scattered throughout the meadowthe gray-hu…