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bydanobrien.bsky.social
Dan O'Brien
@bydanobrien.bsky.social
1.4K followers 600 following 320 posts
Plays, poems, prose http://danobrien.org
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bydanobrien.bsky.social
Dan O'Brien @bydanobrien.bsky.social · Jan 15
CW: suicide. Here’s a personal essay about my brother’s death in 2023. It’s meant to reject the shame and denial bound up with suicide, and to advocate for early therapeutic intervention. My thanks to Esquire & to editor Ryan D’Agostino for his support and insight 🙏🏻 www.esquire.com/lifestyle/a6...
"Dear Family...": The Story Behind My Brother's Suicide Note
I did not love him in spite of his suffering; I loved him more deeply because of it.
www.esquire.com
Reposted by Dan O'Brien
evanpjones.bsky.social
In which a New Zealander writes about a fire likely still burning. From Collected Poems of Bill Manhire, Carcanet Press, 2001. @carcanet.bsky.social @pacificraft.bsky.social
November 21, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Reposted by Dan O'Brien
karenattiah.bsky.social
My first piece for @theguardian.com on MBS’s visit to the U.S., seven years after Jamal Khashoggi’s murder.

Trump’s America is beginning to look like MBS’s Saudi Arabia— which Jamal warned me about.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The Saudification of America is under way | Karen Attiah
Jamal Khashoggi’s plight and murder was a warning sign for the US, of the impending loss of freedom and censorship that would sweep the country
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Reposted by Dan O'Brien
jesselkercheval.bsky.social
Thanks, Black Warrior Review for publishing my new graphic memoir piece "Pink"--about silent movies, living in color and the sadness of my sister fading from my life. bwr.ua.edu/special-art-...?
November 11, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Reposted by Dan O'Brien
ditzkoff.bsky.social
“I wish Andrew Cuomo only the best in private life”
November 5, 2025 at 4:22 AM
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kovesi.bsky.social
Imagine being so weak minded & illiberal & brittle & averse to criticism, that you think banning Wole Soyinka is the right thing to do? Good grief.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...
Wole Soyinka, Nigerian Nobel laureate and Trump critic, says US visa revoked
Soyinka, 91, who recently compared US president to Idi Amin, says ‘I have no visa – I am banned’
www.theguardian.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Reposted by Dan O'Brien
anthonymkreis.bsky.social
Whenever people complain about the number of folks relying on food stamps, it is worth reminding them that SNAP is, by too large of a degree, a subsidy for corporations that refuse to pay a living wage and their political allies who reject public policy prescriptions to reduce income inequality.
October 27, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Reposted by Dan O'Brien
unavaleable.bsky.social
its remarkable to see random suburbanites in their fucking PJs have more courage than the vast majority of america's political, social, and civil elites
mandophotos.bsky.social armando l sanchez @mandophotos.bsky.social · Oct 25
More from the scene
October 25, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Reposted by Dan O'Brien
ovillalon.bsky.social
Come join our @litquake.org Lit Crawl event tomorrow at 5 p.m.! I'll be hosting, and Jesse Nathan & Cate Lycurgus will be reading. Kick off your Lit Crawl San Francisco with @zyzzyvamag.bsky.social!

litcrawlsf2025.sched.com/event/2AjSc?...
ZYZZYVA Fall All-Stars, featuring Cate Lycurgus and Jesse Nathan When? Saturday, Oct. 25, at 5 p.m. Where? Dog Eared Books, 900 Valencia Street, San Francisco.
October 24, 2025 at 8:48 PM
bydanobrien.bsky.social
Published two years ago, but a new shipment of copies still brings a thrill — thanks to those who’ve been reading 🙏🏻 @acrebooks.bsky.social
October 23, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Reposted by Dan O'Brien
simonwdc.bsky.social
American democracy today....
October 20, 2025 at 7:44 PM
bydanobrien.bsky.social
No Kings 🐔 Santa Monica
October 18, 2025 at 8:27 PM
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shakespeare.lol
[Exit King.]
October 18, 2025 at 1:57 PM
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ronanhession.bsky.social
Nice write-up of the Leonard and Hungry Paul TV show which is on iPlayer now-ish (I don't have access to the iPlayer so not sure) and which is on BBC Northern Ireland tonight at 9pm; BBC 2 on Monday.

Hope you enjoy it.
October 17, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Reposted by Dan O'Brien
phillipcrymble.bsky.social
No screeners for this issue, folks. I’ll be reading and responding to every poetry submission.

If you identify as disabled, please submit!
fiddlehd.bsky.social The Fiddlehead @fiddlehd.bsky.social · Sep 25
Disability: The Revolution!

Special Issue Call for Submissions, Deadline November 30, 2025

If you identify as disabled and would like to answer this call, please submit! We would love to hear from you.

See the full call and instructions on how to submit here: thefiddlehead.ca/revolution
A purple graphic for The Fiddle’s special Summer 2026 disability issue. At the top of the graphic is The Fiddlehead’s logo. Below is a purple image with two transparent light purple circles overlapping like a Venn diagram. On top of this, in white, is the work Revolution. Below is the text: call for submissions from disabled writers. Deadline November 30, 2025. Thefiddlehead.ca/revolution
September 26, 2025 at 1:48 PM
bydanobrien.bsky.social
10 years today since my poetry collection New Life—a companion to War Reporter—was published by @cbeditions.bsky.social in London (and not long after by @hangingloosepress.bsky.social in Brooklyn) 🙏🏻 Here’s a lovely review in The Rumpus therumpus.net/2016/01/29/n...
October 13, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Reposted by Dan O'Brien
waynemillerpoet.bsky.social
The deadline for the Jake Adam York Prize is October 15. But we always hold the door open till OCTOBER 18 for anyone who has an emergency or problem that gets in the way. PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD to any poets with a good first or second book manuscript!
October 13, 2025 at 3:37 PM
bydanobrien.bsky.social
My childhood memoir turned two yesterday. Thank you to all who’ve been reading (& listening to the audiobook) 🙏🏻 @dalkeyarchive.bsky.social A nice review here by @jamesbpcook.bsky.social in the @thetls.bsky.social www.the-tls.co.uk/regular-feat...
October 11, 2025 at 5:21 PM
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bydanobrien.bsky.social
Thank you @cincinnatireview.bsky.social for this chat with christopher oscar peña about my ‘True Story: A Trilogy’ @dalkeyarchive.bsky.social and chris‘s ‘Three Plays’ @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social — & thank you @markarmstrong4.bsky.social @scavengerjunta.bsky.social @lisaampleman.bsky.social 🙏🏻
October 10, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Reposted by Dan O'Brien
cincinnatireview.bsky.social
Playwrights (and CR contribs!) @bydanobrien.bsky.social and christopher oscar peña in conversation with director and producer @markarmstrong4.bsky.social about the two's recently published play trilogies and more. Link in first comment:
A white quote shape on a red background. Black text on it: "Featured Interview, 'The plays I like, like chris's plays, and the kind of plays I try to write, make people feel contradictory things." Below is a picture of Dan O"Brien, a white man with dark hair, a beard, and blue eyes, wearing a blue shirt. A white quote shape on a red background. Black text on it says "Featured Interview, 'Part of me misses the whimsical theatricality of my earlier plays. But I just want to be more honest now, you know?'" Below is a picture of christopher oscar peña, a Latinx man wearing a red jacket over dark button-down shirt and resting his hand on his forehead as he leans over and smiles.
October 10, 2025 at 3:10 PM
bydanobrien.bsky.social
Thank you @cincinnatireview.bsky.social for this chat with christopher oscar peña about my ‘True Story: A Trilogy’ @dalkeyarchive.bsky.social and chris‘s ‘Three Plays’ @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social — & thank you @markarmstrong4.bsky.social @scavengerjunta.bsky.social @lisaampleman.bsky.social 🙏🏻
October 10, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Reposted by Dan O'Brien
irishlittimes.bsky.social
Nothing happens. Nobody comes, nobody goes. It's awful.
luxalptraum.com Lux 🍂 Alptraum @luxalptraum.com · Oct 8
TFW you paid $1400 to see Beckett’s most famous work without knowing anything about it
One Star Review of Waiting for Godot on Broadway I recently attended Waiting for Godot on Broadway and spent over $1,400 for two Row C seats (103 and 104). I'm a longtime admirer of Broadway productions and even hold a season pass for Shea's Performing Arts Theatre, so I came in with genuine enthusiasm and high expectations. Unfortunately, this show was unlike anything ! have ever experienced —and not in a good way. What I encountered was not the artistry, music, or emotional storytelling I usually associate with Broadway, but instead what felt like an endless cycle of nonsensical conversation between characters who seemed trapped in their own madness. I tried-truly tried-to find meaning, symbolism, or even a thread of emotional resonance. I stayed through the first half hoping the second would offer clarity. But by intermission, it was clear: this was a waste of both time and money. Keanu Reeves is an actor I respect greatly, but I cannot fathom why he would agree to participate in such a disjointed, inaccessible production. His talent was lost in a performance that defied reason rather than provoked insight. To anyone considering attending: unless you are drawn to highly abstract, nearly incomprehensible theater, I strongly caution you against this show. For the average, educated, thoughtful theatergoer, it is far more frustrating than fulfilling. In my opinion, this was the single most disappointing Broadway experience I've ever had - an unfortunate waste of money and, more importantly, of time.
October 9, 2025 at 10:07 PM
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meganabbott.bsky.social
From the great novelist Sherwood Anderson, a letter to his son.
October 9, 2025 at 4:56 PM
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robertscotthorton.bsky.social
Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune
October 8, 2025 at 2:01 PM
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bydanobrien.bsky.social
The start of my poem for my brother in the latest @southernreview.bsky.social — very grateful to editor Jessica Faust 🙏🏻
October 6, 2025 at 1:36 PM
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acrebooks.bsky.social
New work from Acre #poet @bydanobrien.bsky.social in @southernreview.bsky.social! 🎉🎉🎉
bydanobrien.bsky.social Dan O'Brien @bydanobrien.bsky.social · Oct 6
The start of my poem for my brother in the latest @southernreview.bsky.social — very grateful to editor Jessica Faust 🙏🏻
October 6, 2025 at 1:43 PM