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

“Once a palm reader told me”

Ariel Kasha

Once a palm reader told me

my head and my heart line

lay completely intertwined

She called it "steamy palms"

no separation between the two.

she said it makes me an incredible lover

but I would never be able to experience a casual connection.

I asked if I could unzip my heart from skin and place it on ice

the drive through sex line seems so easy.

unfortunately my body does not seem to digest

synthetic meat

fast food is dead

and i want to eat life

but my heart has stitches

and I am weary of sewing

she shook her head,

a taste will never suffice

a soul that was made to devour

and be swallowed whole.

turns out

she was

a very good palm reader.

More from Ariel Kasha ↓

• @arielkashaceli on Instagram
• Her book, Luna di Sirena: Love Letters from the Tide, is available now

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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