Last week I did a reading at The First & Last Word Poetry Series with MP Carver and Lawrence Kessenich. I read exclusively from These New Orbs---which deals with spirit orbs, celestial beings, ghosts, losses, or anything round. MP and Lawrence knocked it out of the park, and I'm kind of proud of how the book came out
To WATCH: Click the Pic
The First & Last Word Poetry Series
May 19th, 2026
Hosted by Harris Gardner and Steve Glines
Readers:
M.P. Carver
Timothy Gager
Lawrence Kessenich
Bios:
M.P. Carver is a poet and visual artist from Salem, MA. She is Director of the Massachusetts Poetry Festival, teaches at Salem State University, and co-founded the journal Molecule: a tiny lit mag. Her most recent chapbook is Hard Up, from Lily Poetry Books. More on her website: mpcarver.com
Timothy Gager is the author of 20 books of fiction and poetry, which includes his fourth novel, Shadows of the Seen, and his most recent collection of poetry, Almost Bluing for X-Tra Whiteness. He has had over 1000 works of fiction and poetry published and his work also has been nominated for a Massachusetts Book Award, The Best of the Web, and The Best Small Fictions Anthology.
Lawrence Kessenich won Strokestown International Poetry prize in Ireland in 2010 His poetry has appeared in the Sewanee Review, Atlanta Review, Poetry Ireland Review, and many other magazines. He has published five books of poetry, three novels, short stories, essays, and has had short plays performed at many drama festivals.
Eileen Pollack, George S. Peterson, Ellen Kombiyil, M.K. Jackson, Chad Parenteau, Kerry Beth Neville, Lawrence Kessenich, Linda Carney-Goodrich, Amy Alvarez, Kurt Baumeister
Doug Crandell, Mathew Olzmann, William Orem, Martin Ott, M.P. Carver, Phil Temples, Mag Gabbert, Robert Fleming, Danielle Legros George, Michael Keith, Mark Wish
Marianne Leone, Tiffany Davenport, Jennifer Friedman Lang, Ray Guidrox, Gary Grossman, Elizabeth McKim, Carla Panciera, Dr. Dannagal G. Young, Ellis Elliot, Enzo Silon Surin, Josh Barkan, Laura Zigman, Tom Laughlin
Suzanne Frischkorn, Kim Addonizio, Thomas McNeely, Jenna Le, Sarah Bridgins, Lee Matthew Goldberg, Lise Hanes, Dr. Paula Perez, Michael Mark, Maya Williams, Hannah Sward, Caitlin Avery, Carla Swartz, Stacy TenHouton, Donna Spruijt-Metz, Morgan Baker
Jonathan Papernick, A.K. Small, Aaron Tillman, David Rockland, Kimberly Ann Priest, Sain Griffiths, Harris Gardner, Lisa Taylor, Michael Keith, Jim Shepard, Zach VandeZande, Rusty Barnes, Daniel Nester. Kurk Lovelace (reading from Annemarie O'Connell's book), and Nina Shope
Sara Lippmann, Robin McLean, Gregory Orr, Rich Murphy, Diane Suess, Ron Tanner, Aleathea Drehmer, Christina Adams, Sharon Applegate Greenwald, Lucas Scheelk,
Joseph Milosch, Barbara Legere, Ellene Glenn Moore, Vincent Cellucci and Chris Shipman
I've been published here four times previously, and this time I'm in the issue with Huina Zheng, Eileen Tabios, David Henson, Swetha Amid, Pablo Libedinsky, Debra Myers, Robert David Garnham, Austin Alexis and Joan Leotta. I've embedded it here for your convenience.
The story itself was a nice break from the serious true crime writing I've been working on of late. Back to the odd, strange and bizarre world flash fiction allows, and I often use. The main character wears a rubber koosh-ball suit. Why? Read by scrolling below it to find out!
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