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Processing America: & Orphan Poems
45 pages, Paperback
Published August 29, 2025
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October 27, 2025
Processing America & Orphan Poems by Eric Lawson is a smoldering arrow of sarcastically-
barbed hope shot across the bow of our topsy-turvy world anchored in ever-shallower waters.
The epic title poem is boldly topical—the bleeding edge of the present—while also yearning for the safer, more optimistic days of yore. One need only read the simmering “The Uninvited” to feel the poet’s remorse and call to action bubbling under the surface. That’s not to say that it’s all doom and gloom. This mighty miniature pocket treasure overflows with Lawson’s trademark snarky asides, romantic aspirations, his earnest love for his daughter, and transparent empathy for the world at large. In short, this chapbook packs a brain-melting literary punch that lingers long after the finals lines.
"Lawson does not surrender to cynicism. There is still a stubborn ember of hope—found in campfires where dreamers gather, in blank pages that demand honesty, in the raw desire to hold onto connection, truth, and dignity in a world intent on denying all three. Processing America is, ultimately, a document of survival." - Richard Modiano, Director Emeritus, Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center
barbed hope shot across the bow of our topsy-turvy world anchored in ever-shallower waters.
The epic title poem is boldly topical—the bleeding edge of the present—while also yearning for the safer, more optimistic days of yore. One need only read the simmering “The Uninvited” to feel the poet’s remorse and call to action bubbling under the surface. That’s not to say that it’s all doom and gloom. This mighty miniature pocket treasure overflows with Lawson’s trademark snarky asides, romantic aspirations, his earnest love for his daughter, and transparent empathy for the world at large. In short, this chapbook packs a brain-melting literary punch that lingers long after the finals lines.
"Lawson does not surrender to cynicism. There is still a stubborn ember of hope—found in campfires where dreamers gather, in blank pages that demand honesty, in the raw desire to hold onto connection, truth, and dignity in a world intent on denying all three. Processing America is, ultimately, a document of survival." - Richard Modiano, Director Emeritus, Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center
Displaying 1 of 1 review