Aly Acevedo is a writer, editor and educator based in the Kansas City area. Her work has appeared in Ink and Marrow, Anti-Heroin Chic, Frontier Poetry, TRASH MAG and more. "My Dear Cult Leader" (Button Poetry) is her first book, a collection of poems for the devoted, the disillusioned and those untangling love from control. This book will be released in Spring of 2026. She enjoys reading fantasy novels, licorice root tea and the rare honor of a cat’s approval.
My Dear Cult Leader
My Dear Cult Leader (Button Poetry, 2026) by Aly Acevedo is a haunting yet empowering exploration of trauma, survival, and reclamation. Through raw and unflinching poetry, Acevedo examines the lasting effects of sexual assault and toxic relationships on the body and mind—while tracing her journey back to love and self-empowerment. Threaded throughout the collection is a chilling series of persona poems between a cult leader and his follower, a dynamic that eerily mirrors the cycles of abuse. Despite its heavy themes, My Dear Cult Leader strikes a remarkable balance between devastation and hope, revealing moments of levity and joy amid the darkness.
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