Richest Bastard in the Poorhouse: Poems for the Proletariat

The third chapbook from poet Maegen McAuliffe O'Leary, Richest Bastard in the Poorhouse: Poems for the Proletariat is an eviscerating commentary on contemporary working life under late-stage capitalism. The poems oscillate between humor and heartbreak, desperation and determination, as the poet struggles to protect her creative impulses from the gnashing teeth of economic need. McAuliffe O'Leary's ability to condense emotion into impeccable bites of language results in a timely and sharp collection that urges readers to "Grow something / beautiful. It is / your birthright."

Poetry for real life, in real life.
Maegen McAuliffe O'Leary is a poet and mother from the Pacific Northwest. Her work focuses on the contemporary human experience as it intersects with feminism, matrimony, motherhood, magic, creativity, and the human body and its place in nature. She is the author of Bodies to Bury the Hunger (Bottlecap Press, 2022) and Full Belly: Poems (The Finished Project, 2024).

McAuliffe O'Leary is the founder of The Finished Project, a creative communications company inspired by the sacred feminine forces of creativity, courage, compassion, and communication. The Finished Project supports living artists and women-owned, small business through an online retail platform that promotes poetry for real life, in real life. Visit TheFinishedProject.org to learn more.