Dead Dads and Crystal Balls: Readings by Rita Feinstein, Blake Levario, and Ollie Schminkey

Micro is a podcast for short but powerful writing. Each episode features a few short pieces of fiction, creative nonfiction, and/or poetry read by the author.

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Wayward love and the trauma of loss meet phone pictures, oat milk, and grimy crystal balls in this dark but poignant—and sometimes humorous—blend of poetry and creative nonfiction. A content warning for themes of death, mental health, therapy, and medication.

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The incantations and glitter, the sparkle and rubble in this poem perfectly capture a logical conclusion for the Goblin King’s endless attention. It’s called “The Goblin King’s Love Language.” It was written by Rita Feinstein and published by Okay Donkey.

Juxtapositions and daily life briefly meet up with existential themes in this highly relatable piece involving social media, therapy, and connection. It’s called “my therapist asks me, blake, can you please tell me: what have you lost and what have you found?” It was written by Blake Levario and published by Rejection Letters.

Winner of the 2019 Button Poetry Video Contest, and from Ollie Schminkey’s new book, Dead Dad Jokes, the stark contrast of humor and horror in this piece is palpable, the emotions immediate. It’s called “A Hand Becomes.”

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Rita Feinstein is a poet and fiction writer whose work has appeared in Grist, Willow Springs, and Sugar House, and has been nominated for Best of the Net and Best New Poets.

Blake Levario is a phlebotomist who lives in San Antonio, TX; he studies poetry in the MFA program at New York University.

Ollie Schminkey is a non-binary trans poet/musician/artist, author of Dead Dad Jokes (Button Poetry), and ceramist for Sick Kitty Ceramics.

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Micro is edited and curated by Dylan Evers and produced and hosted by Drew Hawkins. Theme song is by Matt Ordes. Follow the show on Twitter at @podcastmicro.