Unlearning Perfection by Mya Noelani | One Poem Only

Unlearning Perfection by Mya Noelani | One Poem Only

Author: Maggie Devers April 28, 2026 Duration: 1:56

One Poem Only is a daily ritual: one poem, center stage, just for now.

Unlearning Perfection

Mya Noelani

I took up the task of unlearning perfection
Because what is perfect anyway?
Besides of bunch of standards we try to maintain to impress other people
I’m learning that it’s okay that the same pile of clothes has sat on my floor for three days
Or that I’m not always on my P’s and Q’s
And that sometimes the most productive thing I can do is get in my bed and sleep
I’m learning that perfection is a performance for which I don’t have time because I’m trying my hardest just to stay alive
I’m learning that life isn’t linear but bunch of highs and lows a bunch of day by days and lot of figuring it out as we go
Let me ask you something…if Jesus got killed for being just that, then truly, what is the point of perfect anyways?
It’s something I’ll never be no matter how much I try
And life is just not meant for constant striving
So, I’m unleashing perfection to fully know me
To embrace opportunity and possibility
To give myself some grace
To find courage and strength to complete the tasks I’ve been assigned
So tell me again…what is perfection besides a distraction that prevents you from experiencing the fullness of life?

More from Mya Noelani ↓


Support + Stay Connected to OPO

If you’d like to support the show, Substack and Patreon members receive a copy of my book, For My Daughter, along with episodes from the audiobook.

Feed yourself poetry every day.


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
Podcast Episodes
All I Have by Rachel Turney after Avalon | One Poem After [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:36
One Poem Only is a daily ritual: one poem, center stage, just for now. This month, One Poem Only presents One Poem After, featuring selected poems written in response to the poems shared during National Poetry Month. Eac…
Bones by Toni Young after Ella B. Winters | One Poem After [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:18
One Poem Only is a daily ritual: one poem, center stage, just for now.BonesToni Youngafter Ella B. Wintersit doesn’t take much to see through skin, through blood, through bones i’ve etched poems in each rib this cage can…
Taco Bell under a Full Moon by Kris Aziz after GiGi | One Poem After [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:08
One Poem Only is a daily poetry podcast offering a quiet moment with a single poem—read aloud, without analysis or noise. Taco Bell under a Full Moon /Kris Aziz after GiGi /Dedicated to Beca /We are looking at the moonTh…
YOLO by Maggie Devers & Weekly Poetry Recap | One Poem More [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:09
One Poem More gathers all of this week’s poems from One Poem Only—an unhurried chance to listen again, or catch what you missed.This week’s poemsLife Is The Backside of Embroidery by Aasfa SiddiquiUnnamed Season by Jules…
Sparrowfall by Arch Budzar | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:48
One Poem Only is a daily ritual: one poem, center stage, just for now.SparrowfallArch BudzarWhile maybe I wasn’t the smartestOr the strongestI never thought unkindly of youAnd Ialways sang my songAnd ISaw you as an angel…
Rash by Viviana Abnur | One Poem Only [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55
One Poem Only is a daily poetry podcast offering a quiet moment with a single poem—read aloud, without analysis or noise.RashViviana AbnurEverything I know about deathI learned the hard waywhen I saw you go by on the str…