Postcard Poetry Fest

In June, I decided to join a Postcard Poetry Fest as a way to jump start some new writing. The project was created by poets Paul Nelson and Lana Ayers and this year over 300 poets joined the list. Each participant was given a list of names and addresses and the chance to write a poem a day for the month of August and mail them out to strangers. In return, each writer receives postcard poems each day.

I have always loved letter writing and sending and receiving. My first penpal was an aunt that lived in California (which may as well have been another country, and in some ways, was). There were several after her, through church missions, pop music magazines, young loves. The handwritten word never fails to inspire, if only for the very personal act itself, the little quirks of personality peeking out in script.

Here are some of the poems from the month and I'll continue to post them, though with a caveat. These were written directly on the card in one go, with no notes and no exit strategy in some cases.  You've been warned; these are first-draft poems. My crutches and obsessions and limitations all shine through. But hopefully, some of that earnest intent to connect directly, personally will show up, too.