Sunday Recap & I Worry by Maggie Devers

Sunday Recap & I Worry by Maggie Devers

Author: Maggie Devers September 7, 2025 Duration: 13:18

Here’s your recap of this week’s poems plus one new poem to carry us into the week ahead.

Sep 1 - The Bleeding of Dreams by Dean Charpentier @mrcharps on Instagram. His most recent publication: two poems featured in B O D Y literary journal

Sep 2 - The Playground by David Park

Sep 3 - When I die, lay me down under a willow tree by Peyton Michelle Bryant @mama.laloba on Instagram. Peyton Bryant on Substack. Her book, Feral Mother, Sovereign Woman, is out now.

Sep 4 - A memorial service before death by Adheena S Farhan @carbon_dat.ed on Instagram.

Sep 5 - Accidental Birds by Deborah Howard @deborahcrafts on Instagram. Her book, Haiku 52: A Journey Through the Year, is out now.

Sep 6 - Stillness of Light by J. Ishaan @__fire_fist_29 on Instagram.

Sep 7

I Worry

About running out of wine
About my daughter’s friend’s mom not liking me
And no one liking my poems,
About not writing any more good ones
About the dishes and the laundry,
No strike that—
About not worrying about the dishes and the laundry
And the endless list of worries.

I’m exhausted just putting this down
So I will put it down
All of it.
I’ll set gentle fire to it
And rub the ashes over my tanned skin
And comb my chlorine scented hair

Then I’ll go find some mushrooms and let the rest of it fly away
To live without me
For I can be reborn every day
And lately I want to
And I don’t know why that scares me.

- Maggie Devers

More from Maggie Devers ↓


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
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