Sunday Recap & When the Hum Rises by Maggie Devers

Sunday Recap & When the Hum Rises by Maggie Devers

Author: Maggie Devers December 7, 2025 Duration: 7:59

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

Dec 1 - Timeline by Quinn Holm @quinnholm.muse and @gratusgarden on Instagram. Quinn Holm on Substack.

Dec 2 - my throat makes by atm.itm @atm.itm on Instagram. @atmitm on Substack. They are co-founder of studio somnus: a creative project agency.

Dec 3 - “as the ground begins to frost” by esso @esso_overflow on Instagram. @essooverflow on Substack. Her book, when the moon calls, is out now. It features poetry she wrote during the new and full moons. If you feel inspired while reading, esso has left pages at the back so you can add your own poem for each prompt. Listen to me read "the earth whispered to me" by esso on Instagram @rembrandts.cure.

Dec 4 - “My poetry has big bones” by Bex @mother_smudger on Instagram. Her book, conflict resolution: a trauma response, is out now.

Dec 5 - I dreamt I was in Paris by Jen Booton @jenthepoeta on Instagram. She runs Mística Holistica, a mystic shop and tea house in Avellanas, Costa Rica. There you can find Jen writing custom poems on a typewriter at the weekly Friday night market. And everyday you can access the poetry pharmacy featuring poets from around the world.

Dec 6 - Hearthside by Dorothy Parker

Dec 7

When the Hum Rises

Maggie Devers

The outrage machine is always on
Like the neon in a 24-hour diner,
But it doesn’t use electricity,
The continual dopamine hit
Of finding the wrong in someone else’s right
Powers the nation.

We live for the take down,
The misstep
We watch the trip and fall
Never extending a hand—
Not understanding
We’re the ones flat on our face.

What if we abandon the unending scroll
Of false justice
What if we suspended judgement
Even for a day
What if we realize our power can do more
Then keep the lights on.

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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