PopPoetry is a poetry and pop culture Substack written by Caitlin Cowan. You can learn more about it here. Check out the archive to see other TV shows, movies, and films whose intersections with poetry I’ve covered. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, subscribe so you won’t miss a post! The first time I ever had my poems read aloud was against my will.

Much has been written about Lori Vallow’s physical appearance over the past three years. In a way, it partially explains the widespread attention on her story because it suggested that Vallow contains a strange dichotomy: the cheerleader and the beauty queen/ the mom who now stands accused of conspiring to murder her children. This prompts endless fascination In 2020, when East Idaho News tracked Vallow and her new husband, Chad Daybell, down in Hawaii, the woman from the headlines came to life: the dreamy blonde curls, the flip-flops, the athleisure, the annoyed look on her face.

July marks 40 years of Hudson Soft’s (and Konami’s) Bomberman franchise. Throughout the month, I’ll be covering Bomberman games, the versatility of its protagonist, and the legacy of both. Previous entries in the series can be found through this link. Back when Hudson had their own console to worry about, Neutopia was their homegrown action-adventure series. Heavily inspired by Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda, Neutopia arrived on the PC Engine and Turbografx-16 in 1989 and 1990, respectively, with a sequel following for the same platforms in ‘91 and ‘92.

know someone who might enjoy my work? share with a friend! Share On Saturday, 11/11, I celebrated 5 years of sobriety from alcohol. It was a quiet day. I walked to the farmer’s market, which has become an important part of my week. I got a small lunch and a cookie and walked back home. I struggled a bit with lament that I don’t seem to know how to mark the years anymore, but also the tender awareness of how much I should be grateful that this is just a normal part of my life.

Friends, I’ve shared some of this with you, but today marks 60 years since it happened — when the Klan murdered my protector. I was always the shortest kid in school, which made me an easy target for bullies. To protect myself, I got into the habit of befriending older boys who’d watch my back. One summer when I was around 8 years old, while visiting my maternal grandmother at her cabin in the Adirondack Mountains, I found Mickey, a kind and gentle teenager with a ready smile who made me feel safe.