Jawbone, Ribcage by Emily Holman

Jawbone, Ribcage by Emily Holman

Author: Maggie Devers July 21, 2025 Duration: 3:10

Jawbone, Ribcage

Emily Holman

I
Split
[The chord of my brain as it connects to] [] [my spine snaps; thoughts gone, gone] Myself
Apart,
[My spine snaps, a snare trap of my own] [] [melancholy design, hospitalized within] From
Underneath
[Profound enchantments, spellike words,] [] [if I even am who I say I am; beginnings] My
Jaw,
[Entrails, tingling numbness, bleeding] [] [hearts, beating to an eerie chanting] Tearing
My
[I shake a bony hand; where is your skin?] [] [disintegration, if I fall apart entirely] Tongue
In
[A heavenly blue pours out of me, exhaust] [] [by formalities, by ritualistic movements] Two,
To
[Autopsied, on a cold silver table, open] [] [and spoon-fed wild herbs and potions]
Expose
My
[Breathe in; the cold air fills my lungs] [] [up to its ballooned capacity, now warm]
Humanity,
Revealing
[Thrums and thralls of an otherworldly] [] [power, disembodied voices call to me] Worms
And
[Who puzzle-pieced me together before,] [] [assembling lamb for slaughter, for god?] Rot
And
[No longer made of metal, jellied eyes] [] [leap from my skull. I can grow again.] Blood.

More from Emily Holman ↓


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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
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