Popular Culture Figures

The usage of a popular culture figures in poems, in my opinion, would be different from poems without popular culture figures. Popular culture figures are admired everywhere and if writers were to write about popular figures, then that would increase the level of interest that the reader will give to the poem.

“The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne,” by Bucky Sinister, is a poem that tells of an alternate world where Bruce Wayne, Batman, is poor; this means he cannot afford the Batcave, Batmobile and all the gadgets that makes Batman. Whenever we hear “Batman or Bruce Wayne,” we would think of a crime-fighting hero, intelligent level beyond an average human, and strength that can take more than a dozen men. However, Sinister’s poem portrays Bruce Wayne in a whole new light that we are not used to see Batman in. Due to this new light, our interest level increased and our mind will be more likely to start formulating questions and asking why, how, what? We see him as a hero, but the poem portrays him as a drunk. As the poem goes against our personal perspective of Bruce Wayne, it captivates the attention of the reader more because of the difference in perspective of the popular idols that we idolize.

I believe that poems with popular figures are more literary. Due to the fact that we are already familiar with the popular figure and know quite a bit about them, we can express more meaning in words than we would have done if a popular figure wasn’t there. For example, when Bruce “hobbles,” he usually hobbles because of fighting crime in the real world, so hobbling in the real world gives him dignity and pride for his wounds. However, now “hobbles” means being weak and poor.


Villanelle about “The Wolverine”

The dark past of the beast is dim,
but scattered across the mind,
for the beast who acts on a whim.

He, who is always prim,
will answer he is just fine,
the dark past of the beast is dim.

He, who believes will forever be grim,
finds a team who shows him kind,
for the beast who acts on a whim.


He follows them and they follow him like kin,
to fight those with heart as bitter as limes,
the dark past of the beast is dim.

He finds a place that is him,
even though it’s full of whine,
for the beast who acts on a whim.

Never giving up for his past is on the rim,
for his spirits will always chime,
the dark past of the beast is dim,
for the beast who acts on a whim.