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

Oct 20 - Places Passing By by Paige Keller @pk_fictions on Instagram. Her book, Now Everything Changes, is available now from her website: pkfictions.com.

Oct 21 - Keeping It This Way by Swan Melloh @three.letters.poetry on Instagram. Her poem, This is my insides, is published in the Spring/Summer 2025 issue of Kailon Magazine.

Oct 22 - "If love were a predator," by McKenzie Hager @lavendermorbs on Instagram. Her book, Ink, Grace, and F-Bombs, is out now. Listen to me read another poem by McKenzie on Instagram @rembrandts.cure.

Oct 23 - Seventh Wonder by Jesujoba Isaac @jobathepoete on Instagram where he merges poetry and fashion.

Oct 24 - Bills for Bills of Bills for Bills by Charlotte Stuart @charli_is_not_simba on Instagram.

Oct 25 - Garden of Eden by Yonsiri Rojas @lvrimar on Instagram.

Oct 26

What 42 years of life have taught me

It’s dangerous to be afraid all the time.

Afraid to love

Afraid to lose

Afraid of yourself 

Afraid of your deepest, darkest thoughts

Afraid to know, really know those around you

Afraid the rugs gonna be pulled out

Just as soon as something good happens 

Afraid to think those thoughts 

Afraid of too much joy 

Or too little

Afraid things will never be this good again

Afraid of change—

That unrelenting path forward 

The march to an inevitable end

Afraid of death

Afraid of life

Afraid of what other people think of you, say about you behind your back

All these fears are dangerous because they are untrue

There is nothing we can control with worry

Or knowledge 

Or prayers

We can control our fear

We can choose to no longer be afraid 

By choosing to wake up every day in the wild, wild world,

Claiming our life as our own

Even as fear simmers around us.

-Maggie Devers

More from Maggie Devers ↓

• Read my debut poetry book, For My Daughter
• Follow me on Instagram for more poetry @rembrandts.cure

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