Episode 49

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Published on:

18th Jun 2025

Pollen Count by Danielle Marie Cahill

Pollen Count

Danielle Marie Cahill

This poem first appeared in The Quarter(ly).

My computer tells me the weather
There is a high pollen count today
As if that matters deeply to someone
Imprisoned in a glass tower
At night, my daughter asks if I saw the rain
She mimics the pattering noise with her
Fingers over the mound of the duvet
I pretend I did.
The she reminds me how in February
We stuck out our tongues to feel snowflakes
Falling–so gentle and so cold
We both catch imaginary wisps for a while
I tell her that I love the rain
Tomorrow, I must go outside to feel the drops
On my face–not learn about it far too late
In the left-hand corner of my shining screen

More from Danielle Cahill ↓

You can hear me read Soft Plastic by Danielle over on Instagram @rembrandts.cure

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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

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About the Podcast

One Poem Only
I'm Maggie Devers, and each day I'll read you a poem-nothing more, nothing less. No analysis, no noise-just a little space to listen.
A daily reading. A quiet moment. One poem, center stage: just for now, just for you. A one-night-only show, in verse.

Come back tomorrow. The curtain rises again.
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