Episode Overview

Podcast: The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily
Host: Maggie Smith
Episode: 1409: Sal, 1950 by Paula Colangelo
Date: December 3, 2025

In this episode, Maggie Smith explores intergenerational trauma through poetry, focusing on the impact of war and PTSD by reflecting on her grandfather’s experiences as a Pearl Harbor survivor and introducing Paula Colangelo’s poem "Sal, 1950," which addresses the long-term effects of trauma on a former prisoner of war. The episode illuminates the resilience of the human spirit and the ways people continue to find joy even in the aftermath of profound suffering.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Personal Connection and Trauma’s Hidden Legacy

[01:06]

• Maggie Smith shares a personal story about her grandfather, Raymond Edward Smith, a survivor of Pearl Harbor who was mistakenly reported killed in action, only for his family to learn of his survival weeks later.
• Despite his survival and presumably profound experiences during the attack, her grandfather never discussed his trauma with his children or grandchildren.
  • “I can only imagine what his firsthand experience was of that event, what he saw and heard and felt. I can only imagine how those sights and sounds and sensations may have haunted him, even though he never talked about it.” — Maggie Smith [01:34]
• She notes the commonality of veterans silently carrying trauma, avoiding discussion, and the phenomenon of families left to guess at the hidden burdens.

Understanding PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

[02:00]

• Smith defines PTSD and clarifies that, while first identified in war veterans, it impacts anyone who has survived a traumatic event: "People can experience PTSD after living through or seeing a traumatic event such as war, a natural disaster, a sexual assault, physical abuse, or a bad accident."
• She highlights possible symptoms: flashbacks, nightmares, physical reactions, anger, hypervigilance, and avoidance of reminders or discussion of the trauma.
  • “I think my grandfather, as stoic as he was, fell into that latter category.” — Maggie Smith [02:32]
• Smith gestures toward generational silence and stigma around trauma, particularly in veteran communities.

Introducing Paula Colangelo’s "Sal, 1950"

[02:42]

• The episode’s focal point is the poem "Sal, 1950," which explores the psyche of a Korean War POW living with PTSD.
• Smith admires the poem’s attention to resilience and continued appreciation for joy amid trauma:
  • “I admire this poem for the way it speaks to the resilience of the human spirit. I sometimes find myself in awe of what humans can survive and what trauma survivors can keep intact inside themselves and what they can still find joy in.” — Maggie Smith [02:56]

Poetry Segment: "Sal, 1950" by Paula Colangelo

[03:06]

• The poem tells the story of Sal, a former POW who experiences classic PTSD symptoms before the condition had a name.
  • “He once escaped, survived two weeks on pears before recaptured before there was a name for it tendency to startle flashbacks that caused him to leave a restaurant without explanation. Again, he suffered alone.” — Paula Colangelo (read by Maggie Smith) [03:19]
• The poem touches on the silence around trauma, with Sal’s wife referring to his experiences as “untouchable” and scarce details shared about what happened to him in Korea.
  • “His wife calls the topic untouchable. Sal didn’t explain his captors’ methods except that they stole his ability to have children. This is all she knows of his time in Korea.” — Paula Colangelo (read by Maggie Smith) [03:35]
• The piece closes with a note on resilience: despite trauma, Sal continues to enjoy pears—the very fruit that sustained him in his two-week escape.
  • “You may think he would never eat pears again, but did.” — Paula Colangelo (read by Maggie Smith) [03:46]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I don’t think you can experience something so traumatic without carrying it with you in some shape or form.” — Maggie Smith [01:44]
• “Symptoms of PTSD can include intrusive memories or flashbacks of the traumatic event, nightmares or difficulty sleeping, or physiological reactions like sweating or racing heart when reminded of the event.” — Maggie Smith [02:15]
• “I admire this poem for the way it speaks to the resilience of the human spirit. …what trauma survivors can keep intact inside themselves and what they can still find joy in.” — Maggie Smith [02:56]

Segment Timestamps

• [01:06] Smith recounts her grandfather’s Pearl Harbor story and family silence about trauma
• [02:00] Explanation of PTSD, how its symptoms manifest, and its relevance for many kinds of survivors
• [02:42] Introduction to the poem "Sal, 1950" and its exploration of resilience in trauma
• [03:06–03:46] Reading of "Sal, 1950" by Paula Colangelo
• [03:47] Closing reflection on resilience and survival, encouraging daily connection through poetry

Episode Tone and Takeaways

Maggie Smith’s empathetic, contemplative narration sets a gentle, thoughtful tone, inviting listeners to honor the burdens carried by trauma survivors—both spoken and unspoken. Through the lens of poetry and personal memory, she evokes the endurance of hope and the potential to rediscover joy, even after immense hardship.
This episode is an invitation to reflect on the hidden stories in those we love and the quiet strengths that enable people, like Sal, to “still find joy” after trauma.