“Reading this chapbook felt like stepping into a healing ritual—one that drew my body and spirit into full attention. With spare, piercing language, Mahaffey evokes the sensual, the sacred, and the sorrowful, reminding us how deeply we are shaped by what we dare to feel—and by the power of listening that is both attentive and attuned to what so often goes unsaid.”
–Jenny Hegland, Executive Director, The Good Listening Project
Description from Finishing Line Press
by Kelsey D. Mahaffey
Paper
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This title will be released on January 9, 2026
No Fault of Water chronicles the author’s journey through a turbulent summer marked by her partner’s alcoholism. Written from the shadows of a shared life, these sensory-rich poems navigate the shifting tides of love, denial, and ultimately, redemption. Grounded in evocative language, each poem sings with emotional clarity, offering readers an intimate glimpse into the ache of holding on—and the quiet strength it takes to let go.
#poetry #loss #love #alcoholism #redemption
About the Author
Kelsey D. Mahaffey is a Cohort 5 TGLP alum and a Nashville poet who keeps half her heart in New Orleans. Her work can be seen in: Deep South Magazine, Pinch, and Cumberland River Review, among others. No Fault of Water is her debut chapbook.
Instagram: @bearfootwalker
Website: www.kelseydmahaffey.com