In the 1980s, the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons became the subject of a widespread moral panic, with some religious groups and concerned parents believing it promoted Satanism and violence. The fad-like spread of the game's popularity, combined with its fantasy themes and the intense focus of its players, led to media frenzy and public hearings, which eventually subsided as the mainstream culture adapted to the game. The panic is now seen as a classic example of a new medium or hobby being scapegoated by a society in transition.

The Dungeons & Dragons panic and the game's enduring popularity have had a profound, if niche, influence on poetry and the broader literary imagination. The game's focus on world-building, myth, and collective storytelling has inspired a rich subgenre of fantasy poetry. The panic also provided a vivid example of how the mainstream views counter-cultural hobbies, a theme that has been explored by many poets writing about community and marginalization.