To hear poetry and to read poetry are different acts.
Reading poetry makes me feel calm.
And you, dear reader, I wonder if
you also feel this way.
Consider this articulation.
Reading poetry: You must gaze upon, pay attention to words, and
consider pacing,
an attentiveness not usually asked
in our contemporary world.
I gaze into your eyes, we remember to breathe.
Turn the page.
Reading poetry is the opposite of eating with
your phone
Without thought to the
opening and closing of one’s mouth
The taste and texture of the food on the edges and tips of
one’s tongue
Warmth of the food, and how it envelops you.
A different kind of information than the Scroll.
Copyright © 2026 by Margaret Rhee. Originally published in Poem-a-Day on July 10, 2026, by the Academy of American Poets.
