Part Oracle, Part Warrior by Aslam

Part Oracle, Part Warrior by Aslam

Author: Maggie Devers January 9, 2026 Duration: 2:20

part oracle, part warrior

Aslam

a crescent moon, hangs like a scar
on her shoulder’s silence.
her lips sealed
by vow or violence.

her eyes do not ask.
they know.
they have watched empires bleed
on blades of their own lies.

she stands in gray,
spine unbent,
each scar a sentence
she never had to explain.

call it rebellion.
call it myth.
a woman
who no longer waits.

she is the ink and the echo,
the storm braided into calm.

you may look,
but you will not read her.
not everyone sees
what silence reveals.

so i offer you a line,
a voice shaped by defiance,
a presence drawn in truth.

let me speak for her,
since her lips are sealed:
she would not kneel.

she is here
for you to bow.

More from Aslam ↓

  1. @smmaslam on Instagram
  2. @aslammohammed on Substack
  3. His book, Paper Boat in Rumi’s Garden, is available now

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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