Episodes

For the Season 5 finally, Dave and Aaron reach the final page of Aaron's high school Wolf Journal. From Truth to a random line about running ice, they have covered it all. And it only took 100 some episodes with friends joining the show along the way. Aaron offers a new apology poem for all the cringey poetry he previously wrote and forced Dave and the shows dear listeners to experience. The new poem can be read here. My Bad Poetry Episode 5.25: "A'Paw'Logies" End Poem from a Real Poet: "Tell...

Aaron dug back through his old external harddrive to find an audio recording he knew existed and found more than he bargained for. This unplanned sequel to "Bad Songs Giving" provides listeners with even more high school winey-piney Aaron belting his poor lyrical heart out on a basic Windows microphone. Dave resists the urge to walk away, but even if he did his bluetooth earphones would keep this new horror directly in his ears. My Bad Poetry Episode 5.24: "Regret & Better off Friends" End Poe...

A grammatical error misses the mark in more than one way this week as Aaron's old Wolf Journal entries finally try a rhyme. Dave and Aaron go off the rails towards the end with tangents on owls and salads, but what can we say...the hosts are but mortals. Also included in this episode, is potentially the longest context to poem ratio so far in the Wolf Journal episodes. My Bad Poetry Episode 5.23: "Three Day Girl & But, Mortals" End Poem from a Real Poet: "Her Father" by Thomas Hardy Podcast E...

Dave and Aaron edge ever nearer to the end of the Wolf Journal this time with a prose poem that perhaps wasn't as celebratory as previous Aaron would have wanted for the page. Dave also brings back the potty humor with an inspired hastily written poem of the week. My Bad Poetry Episode 5.22: "He Sat Alone" End Poem from a Real Poet: "I Sat in the Sun" by Jane Hirschfield Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.social Instagram & Threads: @MyBadPoetry_T...

Presidential Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco comes on the show to bring his less than stellar work. From "Emily’s Recurring Dream of a Failed Bridge" which was too long for the show title that is full of "—" in honor of Emily Dickinson...let's just say the concept failed to connect. Blanco brings along two other rough poems that eventually got reworked to great success. My Bad Poetry Episode 5.21: "One Calculus & The Only Island (w/ Richard Blanco)" End Poem from a Real Poet: "Looking for The Gu...

Dave tries to redeem his French in this weeks hastily written poem, but may have offended the entire language. Aaron tries to start a beef with Swifties?? Dave and Aaron discuss a brief word of relationship advice from high school Aaron. And just a little over halfway through the episode, we get to a halfway decent poem in the Wolf Journal?? Or maybe it just sounded good after all that came before it. You can be the judge. My Bad Poetry Episode 5.20: "The Awakening Sun" End Poem from a Real Po...

After an incredible streak of amazing guests, Aaron and Dave dive back into the pages of Aaron's high school Wolf Journal for what may be described as an Epistolary poem if one were generous. Dave brings "nothing" to the table with his poem of the week and Aaron may have brought to much. Also, if you are celebrating #NaPoWriMo maybe these failed lines could be generative for your daily work. My Bad Poetry Episode 5.19 "To My Dearest Love" End Poem from a Real Poet: "Letter to N.A." by Elizabet...

Frances Klein makes such an amazing return to the show that she may have out hosted the hosts. With three "new" bad poems from her past, Frances brings us through the stylings of a dictionary and thesaurus, with an uninhibited poem, an ekphrastic/found poem, and an add copy?? Oh Dave and Aaron were there too. (Also includes Tallulah's first guest bark.) My Bad Poetry 5.18 "Doppelganger, Scenes..., & Hibernation (w/ Frances Klein)" End Poem from a Real Poet: "The Angel Gabriel Says It's Not a B...

Co-Hosts Aaron and Dave took the week off to focus on their day jobs. Enjoy a compilation of the tangents, distractions, and strange takes that just didn't make the cut for a "normal" episode. This episode features the vocal stylings of previous guests Trapper Markelz, Shiksha Dheda, Madeleine Crowley, jason b. crawford, L.M. Cole, Court Ludwick, and Aaron's daughter...We think a chuckle from Nicole Tallman may have also snuck in there as well. My Bad Poetry Episode 5.B4 "Spring Break Blooper...

Kelli Russell Agadon makes her triumphant return to the show after nearly two years since she became the first true guest of the show. This time around, Kelli brings three poems from three different eras in her writing career. She talks with Dave and Aaron about "dressing up" poems, choosing strong titles, and flipping everything on its head, when editing one's work. My Bad Poetry 5.17 "Both Things are True...North of the Eiffel Tower (w/ Kelli Russell Agadon) End Poem from a Real Poet: "Hum o...

The Stick Figure Poet himself joins Dave and Aaron to share an eclectic collection of bad poetry from the 90s. From cocky self assurance, to shy kid in the corner, to kissing death, the twists and turns will keep the co-hosts on their toes. My Bad Poetry Episode 5.16 "World, Ambiance..., & Making Love... (w/Darrell Parry)" End Poet from a Real Poet: "Exorcism" by Darrell Parry, found in Twists: Gathered Ephemera. Darrell Parry is a writer, editor, and self proclaimed slacker. Darrell also hel...

When a poet reaches out to the show with the phrase "I am willing to dive into the old, Sad Boi notebooks and unleash all the Cringe" one cannot say no. Court does not disappoint with her selections. Warning, some pot brownies may have been consumed in the writing of these poems... need we say more? Huge shout out to "Arts Callings Podcast" w/ Jaime Alejandro for being the connection point that made this episode possible. Listen to Court's episode on Arts Calling here! My Bad Poetry 5.15 "Misce...

Dave and Aaron banked an odd episode in case the weekend got busy. Here the co-hosts return to Aaron's high school Wolf Journal with the sad realization that Aaron often dwelled on the same topics and styles. They take this opportunity to discuss types of love. My Bad Poetry 5.14 Untitled Wolf Journal Entry (Obsession Redux) End Poem from a Real Poet: "Poem Not to Be Read at Your Wedding" by Beth Ann Fennelly Podcast Email: mybadpoetry.thepodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: @mybadpoetrythepod.bsky.soc...

From dark tendrils to spotted slugs and briars of prongs, L.M. Cole's draft folder is full of some strange images. Aaron and Dave dive into the draft folder with L.M. to find the less than subtle cries for help in the glassy ocean that is... Iowa? My Bad Poetry Episode 5.13: "Pumpkin King ... Decreasing Functionality (w/ L.M. Cole)" End Poem from a Real Poet: "No Portents On This Path" by L.M. Cole recently published in Feral. L.M. is an artist and poet residing in North Carolina with two publ...

Dave and Aaron find themselves in the presence of the 2023 Omnidawn 1st/2nd Book Prize winner, jason b. crawford! That being said the poems they share on the show aren't ones that made the cut for Yeet! or Year of the Unicorn Kidz, or really anything... and that is probably a good thing. Hear jason's undergrad and recent grad work that were found in an old folder on an old email that they were gracious enough to dig out for all to hear. My Bad Poetry Episode 5.12 "Playground & Have you ever see...

While Dave is unable to make it, Aaron and Madeleine carry on a cosmic journey over a silk road to a ocean of plastic. From 2017 and 2018 archived documents Madeleine finds evidence of unrequited love and odd artistic choices. Feel free to use any of these lines for your Valentines. She even brings a short song to kick things off. Also, no dolphins were harmed in the recording of this episode. My Bad Poetry Episode 5.11: "Confinement, Silk Road, & Adynaton (w/ Madeleine Corley)" End Poem From ...

Nicole returns to My Bad Poetry with a high school poem and a college assignment (that earned an A). The only thing these two poems share? Nicole thinks they are bad. Since Dave and Aaron have no clue how to speak or read French they will just have to take her word for it. My Bad Poetry Episode 5.10: "Ode to My Pal, John & La Reine du Déguisement (w/ Nicole Tallman)" End Poem from a Real Poet: "The Velvet Room" by Nicole Tallman found in her latest poetry book Fersace Poems from ELJ Editions. ...

Shiksha wants to make it clear that these are the poems of a 16 year old so listeners beware. From "school is a prison," to a personified Death, Shiksha takes Dave and Aaron through the ringer of cliche high school poems. They all find a little solace in the fact that we all tend to need the same things, and in the end isn't that a sweet piece of cake to consider? My Bad Poetry Episode 5.9: "The Jail I Enrolled Into, The Fallen god, & Chocolate Cake (w/Shiksha Dheda)" End Poem from a Real Poet...

Dave and Aaron welcome back the Gorgan writer herself, Raegen Pietrucha. Raegen has done her due diligence and dug up two old poems from her own high school journal (covered with suns and moons no less). Along with one hold over poem from her last appearance, the the co-hosts work through the emo angst, rhymes, and stream of consciousness to conclude... high school is a weird time. My Bad Poetry Episode 5.8: "Untitled & Desperation (w/ Raegen Pietrucha) End Poem from a Real Poet: "This is Not ...

Dave and Aaron return from their holiday breaks with new guest on the show Trapper Markelz. From questionable interpretations of salt formations to interesting fisher slang, this conversation takes many unexpected turns, much like Trapper's poem on babies. Trapper Markelz is a cyclist, music producer, startup CEO, angler, father, and poet, whose newest poetry book Childproof Sky is available through Cherry Dress Chapbooks. My Bad Poetry Episode 5.7: "Hello, Babies & Slaying It (w/ Trapper Markel...

For our podcast's "proof of life" during this extended holiday season, enjoy some bloopers and outtakes from the first six episodes of Season Five. Special features include: technical difficulties, general distractions, tired hosts, and a lot of extra laughs with Lannie Stabile. If you enjoyed this episode, pop on over the our other bonus episode of the season featuring Luke Wortley briefly revisiting topics from his time on the podcast "The White Book" with a conversation about board games! M...

Though originally cut for time, this boardgame conversation seemed to interesting to leave on the cutting room floor. So during this extended winter break My Bad Poetry decided to drop this special bonus mini Boardgame episode that has nothing to do with poetry whatsoever. Enjoy! Luke Wortley used to be a featured guest/co-host on the Game of Thrones Card Game podcast The White Book (named for the log that chronicles the history and roster of the Kingsguard in A Song of Ice and Fire series). He ...

CW: Some references to abuse made throughout the episode. Lannie Stabile makes her triumphant return to the podcast as its "secret third co-host" with more rabbit holes as well as physical proof of future material (seven journals worth in fact!). Dave and Aaron are regaled with tales of theatre camp, pig fests, and spelling bees, that somehow are tangentially related to the bad poem she brought to the show. Since her last appearance, Lannie has had the poetry book The Inconvenience of Grief pu...

Content Warning: The final "bad" poem does deal with a death by suicide. Covering 34'-40'. _____ Luke Wortley tries a bold strategy coming on the show, which is exploring tangents long enough to never actually get to any of his "bad" poetry. Even his first poem distracts the co-hosts with the painting the ekphrastic is describing! Nevertheless, poems are discussed, from garbage to mitigated garbage, ending with a beautiful prose poem that is very good. * Luke Wortley is a poet in Indianapolis, ...