Sometimes by Hania Anwar

Sometimes by Hania Anwar

Author: Maggie Devers September 18, 2025 Duration: 2:22

Sometimes

by Hania Anwar

Sometimes
I wish I was born a
Man
in true Plath-ian fashion
to roam the desolate fields
at Dusky Dawn
without the gripping fear
of being stripped bare and
Torn
If I were a Man I wonder
would I fight half as much with my mother?
Would she chastise me for not wordlessly helping
around the house were I a Son and not a
daughter?
Would my father have turned away the childish outstretched hand
that reached towards his noisy busy factory
were I a Son and not a
daughter?
If I were a Man
would I have worried about unborn children
part of un-lived futures and the thousand ways I would
Fail them?
The only reason Rhett could say he didn’t
“Give a damn”
was because he was a Man
I was born with all the Damns in the world crammed into me
Until I began to
Choke

More from Hania Anwar ↓


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
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