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Poem-a-Day

The only daily poetry series publishing new work by today’s poets.

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Poem-a-day

There’s no “sass” in “dissociation.”

three feet behind my grin I speak
so seems my teeth is down for it
but it’s a make-do I do.
I DM P. L. Dunbar on some 
whatchu mean “we?” no—
really, though. the rough metric
opening this a lie to make 
done the otherwise I say I is.
yet, the we I been subtweets 
me—“whatchu mean ‘I?’”—
answer’s off my tongue, so: 
authentic, no? where “fine,” “OK,”
“yes” get forged? I split my difference
between here and gone, 
a distance of hard words 
hissed; presence of the harms’
numb climb: I’m fine, I’m fine.

Copyright © 2025 by Douglas Kearney. Originally published in Poem-a-Day on July 10, 2025, by the Academy of American Poets.

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Douglas Kearney

Douglas Kearney
Photo credit: Krizia Studios
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About Poem-a-Day

Poem-a-Day is the original and only daily digital poetry series featuring over 250 new, previously unpublished poems by today’s talented poets each year. Khadijah Queen is the Guest Editor of July. Read or listen to a Q&A with Queen about her curatorial process, and learn more about the 2025 Guest Editors. Support Poem-a-Day.  

If you have any questions about Poem-a-Day, visit our Poem-a-Day FAQ.

Previous Poems

Title Author Date
from “Consequences of a Heavy Heart” Jennifer Firestone 07/12/2022
I, New York Lam Lai 07/11/2022
The Treasure Robinson Jeffers 07/10/2022
In the Yellowstone Harriet Monroe 07/09/2022
fire danger high today Jaye Elizabeth Elijah 07/08/2022
Language of the Moon Major Jackson 07/07/2022
How could I have known I would need to remember your laughter, Lauren K. Alleyne 07/06/2022
The Neighbor’s Street Sirens Sing Ed Roberson 07/05/2022
Tenant Emily Skillings 07/04/2022
Lincoln John Gould Fletcher 07/03/2022

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