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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

A Song [I was want]

I was want
ing the most
bare language
threaded bare
ly there a bar
on in english
everywhere I
went I langu
ished in a war
rent of a lang
uage I did or
did not want
once in ame
rica there w
as a language
we were guilt
y I spoke it y
ou were there

Copyright © 2026 by Jos Charles. Originally published in Poem-a-Day on June 25, 2026, by the Academy of American Poets. 

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Jos Charles

Jos Charles
Photo credit: Sergio de la Torre
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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Poem-a-Day is the original and only daily digital poetry series featuring over 250 new, previously unpublished poems by today’s talented poets each year. Sam Sax is the Guest Editor for June. Read or listen to a Q&A with Sax about their curatorial process, and learn more about the 2026 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
on empathy Bettina Judd 09/07/2020
Sunshine After Cloud Josephine D. Heard 09/06/2020
Again it is September Jessie Redmon Fauset 09/05/2020
The Check In Nandi Comer 09/04/2020
In the Middle of the Burning Canisia Lubrin 09/03/2020
Carnivorous, with a varied and opportunistic diet Daria-Ann Martineau 09/02/2020
Caretaker Charleen McClure 09/01/2020
Today, God Starr Davis 08/31/2020
The Plains of Peace Olivia Ward Bush-Banks 08/30/2020
A Prayer Joseph Seamon Cotter Jr. 08/29/2020

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