My Bad Poetry

Rachel Turney brings practically perfect examples of prose poetry, avant guard, surrealism, alliteration, and purpose...or at least that's what was pretended in this fun episode where Aaron is sarcastic and Dave is confused. But hey, we all learn somethings.My Bad Poetry Episode 8.13: "Office Job, Penguin, and 2009 Journal Entry (w/ Rachel Turney)"Rachel Turney has four books coming out in 2026. You can follow all her on Insta @Turneytalks and watch Poetry (In Brief) on Youtube @TurneyTalks. Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.comBluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram: @MyBadPoetry_ThePodWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com

Michael VanCalbergh makes an historic third appearance on the show, bringing one from his past that he just can't seem to put down. A college professor's sweater vest becomes an inside joke to a class and young Michael just had to make it... awkward. Good thing Dave and Aaron are the most mature of hosts or this episode would have just become one long sophomoric gigglefest... It isn't that is it?? O dear.Episode 8.12 "I named it after your favorite clothing (w/ Michael VanCalbergh)"End Poem from a Real Poet: "Nicole Asks Me for a Poem and I Write About Ariadne Instead"Michael is a poet, essayist, and lecturer living in Illinois. You can find his works in Parenthesis Journal, autofocus Lit, Atticus Review, Spoon River Poetry Review, and monthly writings here: https://widely-read.ghost.io/ You can follow him on social media @MVCPoet and check out his open mic poetry readings in Normal, IL. Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.comBluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram & Threads: @MyBadPoetry_ThePodWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com

This week Dave and Aaron welcome Todd Dillard on the show. Though they could have probably done a whole half an hour discussing snow and shovels, they did end up discussing Todd's weird poems. What the hosts could never have expected was how That Thursday turned into the Present Tense. Enjoy the ride!End Poem from a Real Poet: "Present Tense" by Todd DillardTodd Dillard is a poet from Texas now living in Pennsylvania. He is the author of Ways We Vanish and the chapbook Ragnarök at the Father-Daughter Dance. You can follow Todd on Instagram and Bluesky. Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com

Although this episode started out mainly as a book recommendation list the hosts eventually got back on track. In between the last episode and this one, Aaron had a birthday. So this week Aaron and Dave dive into a punny poem about aging, that actually got published! What star puns did Aaron miss?My Bad Poetry Episode 8.10: "Body and Sol""Body and Sol" is found on Roi Faineant's arc hive page.End Poem from a Real Poet: "A Glorious Dawn" Cosmos quotes from Carl Sagan collected by melodysheep for the Youtube Series "Symphony of Science" Sept. 17th 2009Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com⁠

What a better way to start a new year than to remember that life is pain? Perhaps a poem that goes Full Moon on you when you least expect it! Nina Prater dug through her back catalogue to find the utter gems when it comes to bad poetry. Hope you enjoy this episode as much as much as these three did.My Bad Poetry Episode 8.9: "Samsara, Alaska Radio, & Barnacles Feeding (w/Nina Prater)"End Poem from a Real Poet: "Every Summer" by Nina PraterNina Prater works in sustainable agriculture while living in the Ozarks. While you can watch for a full book collection coming in 2027, you can purchase her current published chapbook "Under the Canopy of Unpruned Leaves through Belle Point Press now!Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com⁠

The show's first ever non-official guest when Aaron and Dave were still figuring everything out, makes her official return! Aaron walked the dog on a very cold day to coax Abbe back with some of her private- and one public- poem from years ago. These memories may have been better forgotten, but here they are for all to hear.My Bad Poetry Episode 8.8: "Memories & Not Enough (w/Abbe)"End Poem by a Real Poet: "Woman With A Flower" by Naomi Long MadgettPodcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com⁠

Is it enigmatic, melodramatic, or just plain problematic? Listen as Dave and Aaron try to navigate a treacherous imitation of a Joni Mitchell text provided by their guest Erick Garske. Then they all fall into a parallel universe that is either a utopia or dystopia and the lack of clarity may be the reason its on the show! My Bad Poetry Episode 8.7: "Photo Stock & Parallel Poetry Universe (w/Erick Phillips Garske)"Erick Phillips Garske is a Pushcart nominated poet, with the published chapbook Terms and Conditions of Endearment and newest book Words Alone. Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com⁠

The poems started out as one may expect...then Dave and Aaron found themselves faced with a poem of a very different nature. They kind of forgot the original goal was to record this episode on Halloween... but Kristin didn't! :)My Bad Poetry Episode 6.8: "The Doves, Waterline, & Fall is the Best Season (w/Kristin LaTour)"End Poem from a Real Poet: "Easter Sestina" by Kristin LaTourKristin LaTour is a teacher at Joliet Jr. College and the founder of the Aurora Writers Workshop. Her works have appeared in the journals like Rhino, Oven Bird, and Escape into Life. Her poetry book What Will Keep Us Alive is available through Sundress Publications. Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com⁠

After an unplanned hiatus Dave and Aaron return with Rory Philstrom aka the Dungeon Master Pastor. But rather than lead the podcast through a campaign, Rory leads them through three poems spanning nearly 20 years. All in the 21st Century though. My Bad Poetry Episode 8.5: Counter-Me, The 21st Century, and a Draft of a Eulogy (w/Rory Philstrom) End Poem from a Real Poet: "I live my life in widening circles" by Rainer Maria RilkeRory Philstrom is a pastor, spiritual director, and DnD Dungeon Master. His podcast "Roll for Joycast" looks at the intersection of religion and table top game playing. Rory is the founder of Roll for Joy which helps people use games and the Spirit of Play to enjoy the fullness of their humanity and the depths of divinity within.Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com⁠

The show is visited this week by a host of another poetry reading show (A Hundred Pitchers of Honey), demonstrating a duality in poetry. Donna talks about good poems on her show, on this show... not so much. Donna brings three poems that fail in different ways, only to demonstrate how each one of those failures can be remedied with a final poem that legit made Dave cry. My Bad Poetry Episode 8.4: "I Find Your Photo..., After Life, and Duality (w/ Donna Vorreyer)"End Poem From a Real Poet: "Finding Tongues in Trees" by Donna VorreyerDonna Vorreyer is an author, artist, and retired middle school teacher, who has multiple published chapbooks and full length collections. Her most recent book Unrivered is available now. You can find her work and a more complete bio here. Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com⁠

The show continues its streak of choral lyricists with Devondra Banks... but the works she brings to the show don't quite sing. To be honest, Dave and Aaron actually enjoy most of these contributions as good poems but it's also understandable why Devondra may find these... cringe. End Poem From a Real Poet: "Sage" by Devondra BanksMy Bad Poetry Episode 8.3: "Sharin' Ain'T Carin', Libras Rule, & F.I.U.G. (w/ Devondra Banks)Devondra Banks is a poet and lyricist who has had multiple works set to choral arrangements including "Alleluia, For This Day" and "Joy Never Leaves". She also has two published poetry collections titled Gems and Debris, and Chamomile Clouds.Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com⁠

Aaron and Dave both bring somewhat macabre poems to the podcast this week. Dave wrote an "After" poem based on Tony Silvestri's old opening lines to a sonnet and Aaron is inspired by an unexpected web search. The name of the poem kind of describes itself... but the suggestions might surprise you.My Bad Poetry Episode 8.2: "How to Euthanize a Butterfly"End Poem from a Real Poet: "Wesley's Theory" by Kendrick LamarPodcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com⁠

Dave and Aaron return after a short hiatus for Season 8 of My Bad Poetry with a new guest! He brings to the show a long forgotten start to a sonnet and sings (!) a failed attempt at a fifth and final verse of the Star Spangled Banner.My Bad Poetry Episode 8.1: "A Fifth Anthem Verse (w/ Tony Silvestri)"End Poems from a Real Poet: "Sleep" and "For Such As Me" by Tony SilvestriCharles A Silvestri (Tony) is a world renown lyristis who has worked with some of the most influential choral composers of our time...and it all started with a rush job for a friend. You can find his works and watch for future projects through his website: https://www.charlesanthonysilvestri.com/Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram & Threads: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com

Dave and Aaron find a Friday in the summer to record a season seven wrap up episode! We started this season with the Silence Saga poem but what we may have all forgotten is that Aaron wrote a second poem that same day. The hosts return to this text with... nostalgia? They also look back over another incredible season of guests! My Bad Poetry Episode 7.20: "The Return of Pain"End Poem from a Real Poet: "Childhood Memories" by William SaphierPodcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram & Threads: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com

Mitchell Nobis makes his triumphal return on the week of his debut poetry collections publication! In honor of this momentous occasion, Mitch thought it would be nice to bring a few poems that didn't make the cut for this debut... It's hard not to see why. My Bad Poetry Episode 7.19: "I Hear Trees Are Good Metaphors & Symbols & Such (w/ Mitchell Nobis)End Poem from a Real Poet: "So You'd Better Pay Attention" by Mitchell Nobis Mitchell Nobis is an english teacher from Detroit. He is a the host of Wednesday Night Sessions, the KickstART Farmington reading series and the co-founder of NAWP. You can learn more about NAWP at their website https://notatawp.com/. Mitchell's debut poetry collection The Size of the Horizon, or, I Explained Everything to the Trees is available through Match Factory Editions and can be purchased here. Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram & Threads: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com

Rachel Berg Scherer, Elizabeth Doerr, and Carla Du Pree,grace My Bad Poetry with their incredible presence.  The co-founders of Scribente Maternum talk about how they each “write like a mother” and have created a space for moms of all types to do the same.  Each bring poems of different styles and degrees of “bad” for Aaron and Dave to sift through.  From multiple children’s potty humor to an old journal entry of budding poet finding her way this episode has it all.  My Bad Poetry Episode 7.18: “A Limerick, Haiku, and Song, OMy! (w/ the co-founders of Scribente Maternum)”End Poem From a Real Poet: “My Momma moved among the days” by Lucille Clifton Scribente Maternum is a community of writers who identify as mothers with a goal to embrace the tension that exists between motherhood and writing. You can learn more about this group at https://www.scribentematernum.com/Also check out https://www.citylitproject.org/to learn more about Carla Du Pree’s organization that nurtures the culture of literature in Baltimore and throughout Maryland.Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram & Threads: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com

For proof that this show is not on permanent hiatus, Aaron shares some fun poems written by him and his daughter on Father's Day. How do you think we all did?This mini episode was inspired by "Dino Poet: A Graphic Novel" by Tom Angleberger.My Bad Poetry Episode 7.17.5: "Four Hastily Written Poems (A Mini Episode)"Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram & Threads: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com

Dave brings his first ever "poem" from youth/yesteryear to the show and it's kind of clear how Aaron and Dave became such good friends. A pop parody of Plato's Apology? ...pricelessMy Bad Poetry Episode 7.17: "You Can Throw Me a Huge Party"End Poem by a Real Poet: "The Hour of Departure..." -Apology by Plato. Line 42 Translation: JowettPodcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram & Threads: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com

If one can get past the blasphemous title... you are met with a pretty blanned poem. Dave and Aaron are back to the old swing of things with a dug up poem from Aaron's past. And of all the ones found... this probably should have remained lost. An epic fail of an epic poem for a freshman college class. Enjoy!My Bad Poetry Episode 7.16: "The Word of God (written by Aaron)"End Poem from a Real Poet: "Jesus in the WIlderness" by Malika BookerPodcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram & Threads: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com

Dave and Aaron learn that good sonnets do not always make for great poems. While these poems may be technical to a tee, Taylor cringes at missed opportunities, as one may flinch at their own distorted reflection in the Bean. You know that famous art work in Chicago? My Bad Poetry Episode 7.15 "What You Wanted, In the Winter, God Shows Off, & Double Barrier (w/ Taylor Byas)"End Poem from a Real Poet: "After the Mona Lisa" by Taylor ByasTaylor Byas is a nominee for multiple Pushcart and Best of the Net awards, and her debut full length poetry collection I Done Clicked My Heel Three Times won the Maya Angelou Book Award in 2023. She received her doctorate in Creative Writing and Literature through the University of Cincinnati. You can pre-order her newest work Resting Bitch Face here. Follow her work at https://www.taylorbyas.com/.Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram & Threads: @MyBadPoetry_ThePod Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mybadpoetry.com