Breaking Bad has a Walt Whitman addiction.

What Is PopPoetry?

PopPoetry is a place for anyone interested in pop culture, writing, and the creative life. My mission is to bring poetry out of the ivory tower and into your living rooms and your hearts. I study the intersection of poetry and poets with pop culture, including TV, film, music, and more with a scholar’s eye and a comedian’s sense of humor to see what they can tell us about creativity, art, and ourselves. Here are some of the kinds of posts you can expect to read:

  • Explainers about poets and poems referenced in pop culture

  • Poets Watching TV: learn to watch TV like a writer and engage with writing prompts to glean surprising insights into the creative life

  • Analyses of poetry tropes and stereotypes in pop culture

  • Poets Go Pop: Interviews with poets whose work engages pop culture elements or who have had their work appear in TV shows, films, songs, and more

  • All That Glitters: (Re)appraisals of musicians, actors, and other culture-makers who have written and/or published poetry.

  • …and more!

Subscriptions

You can continue to receive this newsletter weekly in addition to some awesome new perks by becoming a subscriber. For $7 per month or a discounted $70 annually* you’ll receive:

  • Full posts on Wednesdays

  • PopPoetry Postscripts on Fridays

  • Full access to the archive

  • Monthly subscriber-only writing prompts

  • Access to a curated, continually updated companion playlist

Founding Members

If you’re a big fan of the newsletter and have the means and desire to support my work in a big way, consider becoming a founding member. You can set your price at a higher amount than the annual subscription. You’ll receive all of the above perks plus:

  • A personal post request and shoutout

  • A one-on-one Zoom with me

Non-Paying Subscribers

If you can’t or don’t want to pay for a subscription, that’s ok. You’ll still continue to receive occasional free posts and can subscribe at any time.

Who Are You?

PopPoetry is written and curated by me, Caitlin Cowan. I’m a working poet and writer living on the west coast of Michigan.

Hi!

I have a Ph.D. in English, a background in journalism, and a tendency to take pop culture just as seriously as academic subjects. But don’t let the degree freak you out: I’m all about democratizing and demystifying the realm of poetry to show that it’s an art form for everyone. You can learn more about my work here.

Why Read PopPoetry?

My readers respond to the high-quality content I offer on creativity, pop culture, and poetry’s weird little place in the world.

“Some of the most thorough, well-sourced, and substantiated work I’ve seen.”

—Cole Noble, Writer

In recent years, we’ve seen poetry emerge as an increasingly accessible art form: Beyoncé and her cold glass of Lemonade helped Warsan Shire sell out on Amazon. Maggie Smith’s poem, “Good Bones” went viral and ended up in an episode of Madam Secretary. Walter White was treated to some choice Walt Whitman on more than one occasion. I write about the intersections of poetry and popular culture because I’m interested in what they tell us about art, entertainment, and ourselves.

Interested in watching poetry and pop culture braid each other’s hair? Subscribe and get full access to the newsletter and website to ensure you never miss an update.

Why Subscribe?

Stay Up-to-Date

You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Every new edition of the newsletter goes directly to your inbox.

Join the Crew

Be part of a community of people who share your interests.

Support Writing & Writers

The world is a weird and mainly horrible place right now, and we’ve all been reminded of the central role that art plays in our lives as we quarantined and attempted to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Subscribing to this newsletter supports my writing and the accessibility of high-quality inspirational and educational arts content on the web.

To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.

Subscribe to PopPoetry

Pop culture meets poetry: explainers, author interviews, book reviews, & exercises for the creative mind and writers of all kinds. Written weekly by Caitlin Cowan.

People

Author of HAPPY EVERYTHING, Forthcoming 2024 from Cornerstone Press. Fresh-coast writer, educator, and arts nonprofit administrator with a PhD in English and an honorary degree in 30 Rock quotations.
I write romance, including LOVE IN THE TIME OF SERIAL KILLERS and WITH LOVE, FROM COLD WORLD. I am ill qualified to recommend myself to strangers.
Ennis Bashe is a romance novelist and poet whose work has appeared in Strange Horizons and Cricket. Their debut chapbook, was an Elgin Award nominee. Find them at https://www.ennisrookbashe.com/ or on Twitter at @rookthebird.
Jane Satterfield’s most recent book is Apocalypse Mix (Autumn House, 2017). You can read recent work in Interim, Literary Matters, The Missouri Review, Orion, Tupelo Quarterly and hear more about the Brontës in Jane’s conversation with The Common.
Isabella Maria is a people journalist, word lover, and dreamer. She hopes that every piece makes a home within your soul, and writes to elevate the truthful romanticism of living. If you'd like to work with her, reach her at writerbella31@gmail.com
Rebecca is a writer based in Washington, DC. Her work has appeared in Channel Void, Narcity Media, and other publications. She loves all things Sopranos.
Laura Eppinger (she/they) knows that the Jersey Devil is real. Laura's work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize as well as Best of the Net. Learn more: https://lauraeppinger.blog/
Indianapolis poet and teacher. Assistant Editor at Southern Humanities Review. Find more writing (poetry, mostly) at https://kleinpoetryblog.wordpress.com/
Dr. of Lexical Curation. Wax Professional. Amateur Miniaturist.
Elspeth Wilson is a poet who is interested in exploring the possibilities and limitations of the body. You can find her on Instagram at @elspethwrites, on Twitter at @elspethwriter and her website is https://www.elspethwilson.co.uk/
Mary Kay McBrayer is the author of America’s First Female Serial Killer: Jane Toppan and the Making of a Monster. Follow Mary Kay McBrayer on Instagram and Twitter.