Remember

Olivia Woods

Your apples were as savory as sunlight

I can’t remember the last time they seemed so sweet

The last time they were as red as roses

The last time they smelt so great

I fear there is nothing left here anymore

I can't remember how long I've been here

Or when the maggots came

I can’t remember when the taste had changed

From sweet to sour

When the rose color began to rot

When these sores appeared

I fear there is nothing left of me here

Only the husk of my body

The salt from my tears

And the maggots I've eaten

Trying to remember the taste 

More from Olivia Woods ↓

• @owibia_writes on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube
• She is currently writing the first draft of her novel, What Remains Of Us.

Mentioned in this episode:

One Poem Only submissions are open.

This round, I’m looking for poems about what remains. What stays with us after we experience change? What survives? What do we yearn to carry forward? Send me the poem you wrote and want the world to hear. Also, if you’d like to read your own poem on the podcast, you can. Submit a clear audio file recorded in a quiet space—no perfect studio recording required. And yes, your poem can have been previously published in a literary magazine, a book, or on social media. Submissions close Thursday, October 29. I’ll respond by Wednesday, November 11. Whether I read your poem or you read it yourself, I’d love to hear what you have to share.

One Poem Only Submissions Form