Cycles by S. Salazar | Wednesday Double Feature | One Poem Only

Cycles by S. Salazar | Wednesday Double Feature | One Poem Only

Author: Maggie Devers March 18, 2026 Duration: 2:31

Wednesdays on One Poem Only are a double feature: one poem here on the podcast, and one more by the same poet shared on Instagram.

Cycles

S. Salazar

The space in which my family occupies is a revolving door—
each rotation moves me further from their timelines.
Yet turning to push the door in reverse
won’t take me back to a time with them:
to picnics beneath the Central Park oaks
or a game of tag among Puerto Rican palms.
I existed decades after Abuelo exited the door.
I stepped between the panes of glass
just as Abuela stepped out.
Abuelo took everything with him except his family.
Abuela held tight to her Latin roots,
clutching memories of a childhood in Puerto Rico.
Lugged them through her new life in America
until they calloused and cracked her hands.
Stubborn, she carried that heritage out the door.
Took customs and superstitions and stories.
I’m left alone, spinning with the echo of her lifetime
in empty air, the dust of her travels clustered on the floor.
Pressing my palms against glass where her prints had been.
Willing my prints to match hers. Praying I leave something more
behind despite having less. One day, I’ll step out.
Everybody does. But I can’t leave until I fill this place
with something more than dust.

More from S. Salazar ↓

  1. @writessalazar on Instagram
  2. @writessalazar on Substack
  3. Her book, Raíces, Relics, and Other Ghosts, published by Kelsay Books is available now

Watch the Second Poem

You can watch and listen to another poem by S. Salazar as part of our Wednesday double feature on Instagram at @rembrandts.cure.

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.

Two poems. One poet. Let the words keep moving.

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

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