Only Sleeping by Jo Guzman | One Poem Only

Only Sleeping by Jo Guzman | One Poem Only

Author: Maggie Devers April 26, 2026 Duration: 2:14

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

Only Sleeping

Jo Guzman

The flavor of “Fuck you” smacked across my lips when I woke
Not so much in anger
More like calm clarity
I touched my heart with my right hand
The one that used to pledge allegiance to many things
I believed the stories for so long
The ones about love and heroes and good
Until I realized the truth often died with those mortally silenced because the empire said so
My hand and my heart set about their work
Counter clockwise circles
Unravelling layers of grief and shame and anger
No wonder there was so much pressure
And then I felt the flicker
That little flame
The one that never extinguished no matter what
No matter what form of fear held me by the throat until I almost stopped caring about my own breath
Almost
Almost
Little did I know that the dragon was only sleeping
Deep in my heart
The nearly obscene pressure a message from my body
Wake up
There is no hiding
No more, none
It’s fire season, you know
Aries
Rising, rising, rising
Burn it down
Fire purifies
My heart on my hand stopped
As I realized the gift…
Rest
Do it now
For the battle is coming
And God needs her best soldiers ready

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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

One Poem Only
Podcast Episodes
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Bones by Toni Young after Ella B. Winters | One Poem After [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Taco Bell under a Full Moon by Kris Aziz after GiGi | One Poem After [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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One Poem Only is a daily poetry podcast offering a quiet moment with a single poem—read aloud, without analysis or noise. Taco Bell under a Full Moon /Kris Aziz after GiGi /Dedicated to Beca /We are looking at the moonTh…
YOLO by Maggie Devers & Weekly Poetry Recap | One Poem More [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:09
One Poem More gathers all of this week’s poems from One Poem Only—an unhurried chance to listen again, or catch what you missed.This week’s poemsLife Is The Backside of Embroidery by Aasfa SiddiquiUnnamed Season by Jules…
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Duration: 1:55
One Poem Only is a daily poetry podcast offering a quiet moment with a single poem—read aloud, without analysis or noise.RashViviana AbnurEverything I know about deathI learned the hard waywhen I saw you go by on the str…