The Poetry Postcard Fest is a challenge which encourages poets to write an unedited poem on a postcard and send it to a stranger. Organised by the Cascadia Poetics Lab, who organise the participants into lists of 31 + yourself for you to address your offerings to. This was my first year and hearing about it just in time to register, I was on List 15. The lists were sent out in early July and you had until the end of August to send out your missives – in the end I received 23 of 31 possibles and since then I have shared the cards and poems I sent and the cards but not the poems I received. I will shared these in the order of sending ending with the eight I sent but didn’t receive from. Hoiwever, since the 23rd card arrived by way of Trinidad – I have not given up hope – so if you recognise a card you received and you know you sent one – please let me know in the comments and we shall presume it travelling still, the backwaters of the postal system…
This is the very last card I sent, to Elise, and hers was the very first card I received which is as it should be – I have enjoyed the whole experience and I hope you all enjoyed my sharing the cards I sent to Group 15. Finally, I have taken a group photo of all the cards I received in order – until next year…
Dear Elise
You were my first
and you are my last
to write a poem
to a stranger, that is
I saved this pearly treasure
for you who talked of
the remnants of human history
and these shells on a Cretan beach
unposed I assure you
also tell of lives past
moist forms departed.
So much easier to write
to a stranger when you
have received their’s first
and it has been fun and
I regret I have reached the end.
© Andrew Wilson, 2023
Andrew, wonderful fun POPO is. I hope you enjoyed it.
It sounds like you have been there Lisa – which is no less than I would expect of you…
The poetry postcard fest sounds very interesting. I thought your poem was poignant and beautiful.
I highly recommend the PoPoFest as it is affectionately known to participants – the writing to strangers, half of whom you will not have heard from first, the Epistolary nature and the ideal of writing about your postcard image and in cases where you have received theirs first – linking to that too – make it a great challenge on many levels…
OH MY … in your handwriting! Who would not want a postcard such as this? Cheers.
Why thank you Helen – I can write very neatly for formal occasions but the rough and tumble of writing poems on the fly, always looked a bit messy – but real…
what a grand idea!– this poetry postcard group! <3
It is a great project and like dVerse
Oops – has been going many years. I came to it fairly last minute so was on list 15 – there are 32 on each list – you plus the 31 you will send to – so a lot of people are involved. It is though, expensive, with the cost of posting being £2.20 even for a postcard here in England.
Nice one Andrew
Much🖤love
And to you Gillena 🖤
What a cool idea, to write a postcard to a stranger. I imagine it would be easier to write one when you’ve received theirs first. Postcards are cool and some of these entries make me want to grab a few.
Do sign up for next year Yvonne!
What a fine idea!
Indeed it is – go on – have ago…
This certainly fits the prompt delightfully.
Thank you Melissa – it was fun…
I love the idea, it sounds like a perfect way to have use of that mailbox that is in so little use.
See you next year then Björn…
What an exciting adventure in writing! Such a great idea. Thanks for sharing this “pearly treasure” with us as well.
Thank you Dora, all the postcards I wrote are gathered on a page on my blog if you feel like dipping in…
I love the idea of the fest and your letter reminds of the letters we wrote as pen pals. Thanks for joining in with this cool handwritten verse, Andrew.
I did have a pen-pal for a while as a child, but it has much greater appeal as an adult, Punam…
How very interesting! Wonderful!
Thank you Carol…
What a great idea 🙌