Tangerines and Alcoholism by Labanya Dey | One Poem Only

Tangerines and Alcoholism by Labanya Dey | One Poem Only

Author: Maggie Devers March 5, 2026 Duration: 1:47

A daily reading from One Poem Only—a quiet space for a single poem, read aloud.

Tangerines and Alcoholism

Labanya Dey

My mother peels tangerines
Carefully scaling the orange flesh
Until her nails dig into the sour crevices
Of the orange ball
The juices drip between her nails and fingertips
As she puts them on a plate
On a bright afternoon
As she waits for them to be savoured
Appreciated with the delicate eyes she yearns for.

She sits by the table, nails scratching through the skin
The sweet juices bubble through her veins
She sits and waits
Where the threshold loses its colour and the window panes seem blue
She watches the door with careful eyes

At 12:00 when she cleans up her day
The corpses of red headed flies with sweetness sticking in their tongues
Lay beside the musk amber of leftover liquid
Smiling at her - "you couldn't even keep him"

So she keeps, her orange peels and her whiskey scent
And sunny days with dark afternoons
And vibrant smiles with leftover tangerines
Drowned with glistening, golden bubbles of life and laughter
Because my mother peels tangerines
Whether seasons meet their end
Or the waves meet the earth.

More from Labanya Dey ↓

  1. @labanyaaa._ on Instagram
  2. @yapseshs on Substack

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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
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