Always Crashing

a de-exposed photograph of a wall, an image of a woman bathing in blood, an art nouveau brocade, and three pigs

~preview~

a de-exposed photograph of a wall, an image of a woman bathing in blood, an art nouveau brocade, and three pigs

~preview~

I saw it happen. I knew right away. They just kept coming at him time and time again. It seemed to go on and on. It just ended up in a terrible frenzy. * She pulled it out of a bag. She was screaming and she was waving something in her right hand. I don’t know why, but I thought that it was a wig. She was waving this. It was as if she was drawing wild shapes in the air with it. As she passed us, I could see that it wasn’t a wig.

Now at AC // www.alwayscrashing.com/current

blue no matter who by Kristin Lueke the rules are rigid & exacting in the matter of the state versus everything the rules say—suffer i say burn

i'm a big @klooky.bsky.social fan. today on @burialmagazine.bsky.social

burialmagazine.neocities.org

I saw it happen. I knew right away. They just kept coming at him time and time again. It seemed to go on and on. It just ended up in a terrible frenzy. * She pulled it out of a bag. She was screaming and she was waving something in her right hand. I don’t know why, but I thought that it was a wig. She was waving this. It was as if she was drawing wild shapes in the air with it. As she passed us, I could see that it wasn’t a wig.

Now at AC // www.alwayscrashing.com/current

Laughing to Keep from Crying: A Generative Writing Workshop on Humor with Ben Niespodziany February 20- 22, 2026 About the Course The comedian and TV show host Milton Berle once said, “Laughter is an instant vacation.” Now more than ever, we could all use a good laugh. An escape from the doom scrolling, from the news cycles, from the terrors outside our windows. In this highly generative writing workshop (my fourth with Bending Genres, if you know, you know), we’ll be discussing the many ways to include humor in poetry, prose poetry, microfiction, and flash fiction. Tips and tricks to help you incorporate humor into any type of literary medium. From Matthew Olzmann’s mantra of “Start with a joke, end with a prayer” to the conceptual narrative humor of Zachary Schomburg and Kiik Araki-Kawaguchi to the more laugh-out-loud humor of Russell Edson and Jack Handey and Jennifer L. Knox. Other authors we’ll be reading include Mark Leidner, Rachel B. Glaser, Richard Brautigan, John Maradik, and S.E. Smith. With an excessive amount of examples, we’ll also feature an excessive amount of writing prompts. Enough prompts for you to choose to work on and share over the weekend with plenty of extras to take home with you (virtually) after the workshop is over. We’ll be laughing, chuckling, cackling, howling, and roaring away. Who knows, we might even invite a chortle or two. Modern life can be stressful and overwhelming, and in this weekend workshop, we’ll offer an escape from reality for a little bit, looking at ways to use your imagination and disconnect as well as ways to turn your stressors and anxieties into something funny and expressive on the page. It’ll be a safe and welcoming space to be goofy and silly for a little while. Anything can happen. Pack your Groucho glasses. Bring a Slinky. We’re going to have fun.

Leading a generative writing workshop next month on humor. Hoping it will provide some much-needed lightness.

bendinggenres.com/register/lau...

"I was trying to appear normal, to make it look like I had some purpose" Featuring Beethoven, Puccini, Baltimore, pythons, poodles, elusive shapes, and Don DeLillo's eyes

Today's email edition features new work from @thatsneate.bsky.social + a reading/party/performance in Baltimore with @meeklingpress.bsky.social & @barrelhouse.bsky.social

Image from AWP Conference site, showing Always Crashing's table number, T869

"I was trying to appear normal, to make it look like I had some purpose" Featuring Beethoven, Puccini, Baltimore, pythons, poodles, elusive shapes, and Don DeLillo's eyes

Today's email edition features new work from @thatsneate.bsky.social + a reading/party/performance in Baltimore with @meeklingpress.bsky.social & @barrelhouse.bsky.social

WILSON NEATE / BEYOND WORDS — always crashing I I was doing my best not to attract attention.  I tried to find a time when there were definitely no youngsters about.  I waited until it was quiet, less busy.  I had to do it som...

"A lady, who might have been a doctor, brought a huge yellow umbrella to protect him from the sun. I remember thinking that this gesture seemed pointless, ridiculous even. But at the same time, it was a gesture full of humanity."

"Beyond Words" by Wilson Neate (@thatsneate.bsky.social) / Now at AC

"Beyond Words" explores the space of the catastrophe in those moments before we are able to "make sense" of the senseless, when the event still appears to us in its unspeakable whole

Very excited and honoured to have a new piece at the always excellent Always Crashing.

"Beyond Words" explores the space of the catastrophe in those moments before we are able to "make sense" of the senseless, when the event still appears to us in its unspeakable whole

If you’re feeling ready for rawness, I highly recommend this by my dear one.

CW

WILSON NEATE / BEYOND WORDS — always crashing I I was doing my best not to attract attention.  I tried to find a time when there were definitely no youngsters about.  I waited until it was quiet, less busy.  I had to do it som...

"A lady, who might have been a doctor, brought a huge yellow umbrella to protect him from the sun. I remember thinking that this gesture seemed pointless, ridiculous even. But at the same time, it was a gesture full of humanity."

"Beyond Words" by Wilson Neate (@thatsneate.bsky.social) / Now at AC

This, to me, is the dialectic

We kid, we kid

"For Readers 65+" (eg W.G. Sebald)

KATHERINE MARTIN / TELL ME I'M ALIVE — always crashing I was scrubbing the toilet when the phone rang. The bathroom light buzzed (too bright, state-issued, like everything here) and for a moment, my reflection in the water wavered, thin and translucent as...

New work at the site tomorrow / which means tonight is an excellent time to read or re-read Katherine Martin's brutally nuanced or subtly brutal "Tell Me I'm Alive," up now

AWP OFFSITE READING w/ Luna Honey | Metro Baltimore – Metro Baltimore Metro Baltimore - Independent Live Music Venue - Baltimore, MD

See you in Baltimore

AWP OFFSITE READING w/ Luna Honey | Metro Baltimore – Metro Baltimore Metro Baltimore - Independent Live Music Venue - Baltimore, MD

See you in Baltimore

Laughing to Keep from Crying: A Generative Writing Workshop on Humor with Ben Niespodziany

I'm hosting a writing workshop over at @bendinggenres.bsky.social next month! Highly generative & full of prompts, we'll be focusing on humor & escapism through poetry / flash / microfiction. Join us for a weekend of comedy & fun. We could all use a laugh.

bendinggenres.com/register/lau...

We await the coming of the bard of touching grass

Confessional Poem I ate the celebratory ground hog. I hate my celebratory self.

a tiny poem of mine for #smallpoemsunday

cc: @tomsnarsky.bsky.social

An extremely visually complicated flyer including mountains and clouds. It says: NEver Angeline North Black Hole Science is Filled with Apologies Online Book Release PArty Featuring June Martin, author of Love/Aggression Kristin Lueke, poet of record Suzy Valentine, comix hero 1 p.m. Pacific Time February Seventh, 2026

Never Angeline North
Black Hole Science is Filled with Apologies
Online Book Release Party
Feat
June Martin, author of Love/Aggression @theworldsgreatestwriter.com
Kristin Lueke, poet of record @klooky.bsky.social
Suzy Valentine, comix hero instagram.com/weeptowaterthetrees

1pm PST
February 7 2026

THE MINUTE REVIEW - a little magazine, photocopied & sewn - seeks short (250-500 word) reviews of experimental, concrete, and risk-taking poetry and prose, especially by women and writers of colour. Please send submissions to derek@housepress.ca

Sometimes, when you're lucky, great world building is the narrator's sudden cello, yet to be packed in its special shipping container, obvious, and never mentioned again.

Today is the liminal day, the one between Bowie's birth day and death day. Behave accordingly.

KATHERINE MARTIN / TELL ME I'M ALIVE — always crashing I was scrubbing the toilet when the phone rang. The bathroom light buzzed (too bright, state-issued, like everything here) and for a moment, my reflection in the water wavered, thin and translucent as...

"I folded the letter, stamped it, and walked it to the curbside postbox. Then I tore it to confetti and shoved the pieces in my mouth."

New year, new work / "Tell Me I'm Alive" by debut author (!) Katherine Martin / New at Always Crashing:

👇👇👇