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One Poem Only is a daily poetry podcast offering a quiet moment with a single poem—read aloud, without analysis or noise.
Abstract
WC Quinn
My pieces appear askew, but I am no Picasso
just a Girl Before a Mirror trying to love myself
despite the flaws in my reflection
I keep counting my brush strokes
grooming tangles in penance.
My tongue’s burden is language
The She Wolf bellow calls to me; I don’t reply
my words, sticky sweet honey,
smacking heavy in the roof of my mouth
splatters canvas akin to Pollock.
My nightmares covet reality
so call me a dream walker; lucid surrealist
observing life like Dali from below the waters
bearing witness to The Metamorphosis of Narcissus
unsure if I am art or artist.
My heart stenciled with purpose
in the face of perpetual loss; A Girl with Balloon
black and white statements stricken
with red accents
Recognizable / Unknown.
More from WC Quinn ↓
- @astoldby.wcquinn on Instagram
- @wcquinn on Substack
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Write After 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. If you want to join: Listen to a poem from the month of April on One Poem Only, then write your own in response. I will pick one for each day to read in June for a special series: One Poem After 🍎🍏 Submissions close May 15.
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One Poem Only — Abstract by WC Quinn | One Poem Only. Machine-transcribed; use the interactive transcript above to jump the player to any line.
This is one poem only, I'm Maggie Devers, one poem, nothing more, nothing less. Before today's poem, a quick note, right after submissions are now open a little longer through May 15th. If you've been meaning to write, there's still time. You can now submit through a form that I've linked in the show notes. Selected poems will be featured in June as part of a new series, One Poem After. Now, today's poem. Today's poem is by W. C. Quinn. Listen to the episode, then write your after poem. Abstract. My pieces appear skew, but I am no Picasso. Just a girl before I'm here, trying to love myself, despite the flaws in my reflection. I keep counting my brushstrokes, grooming tangles and penance. My tongue's burden is language. The she-wolf bellow calls to me.
I don't reply. My words, sticky, sweet honey, smacking heavy in the roof of my mouth, splatters can visit kin to Pollock. My nightmares covet reality, so call me a dream walker, lucid surrealist, observing life like Dolly from below the waters, bearing witness to the metamorphosis of Narcissus. Unsure if I am art or artist. My heart stenciled with purpose in the face of perpetual loss. A girl with balloon, black and white statements, stricken with red accents, recognizable, unknown. By W. C. Quinn, if this poem stayed with you, you can find more of her work on Instagram and as told by W. C. Quinn. And on Substack at W. C. Quinn. Thank you for listening, Poetry Leather. Come back tomorrow.
The curtain rises again.
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