A daily reading from One Poem Only—a quiet space for a single poem, read aloud.

Tangerines and Alcoholism

Labanya Dey

My mother peels tangerines Carefully scaling the orange fleshUntil her nails dig into the sour crevices Of the orange ballThe juices drip between her nails and fingertips As she puts them on a plateOn a bright afternoonAs she waits for them to be savouredAppreciated with the delicate eyes she yearns for.
She sits by the table, nails scratching through the skinThe sweet juices bubble through her veins She sits and waits Where th...