As writers and poets, many of us have been trained to write with an aim to edit and revise, seeking to choose the right word, the right sound, the right meter, and rhythm to capture our thoughts. But there’s a different kind of writing, spontaneous writing, not meant to be censored. Once the phrase is written, it stays.

In visual art, I watched the sculptor Reuben Kramer create what he called his one-minute ink sketches. The game, he said, was not to lift the brush off the paper, once he began, but to keep moving it until the image was complete.

Postcard poetry follows the same protocol. You write within the confines of the small space, what pops into you head that you think will be well received by the recipient. In the case of the annual Cascadia Poet’s LAB  Poetry Postcard Fest, the recipient will likely be a stranger, but that is part of the fun.

The festival began in 2007, the brainchild of Lana Ayers and Paul Nelson, and has expanded into an international event. Last year they had 544 participants from twelve countries, five Canadian provinces, and 44 USA states, the highest participation rate ever. So, anyone who is thinking poetry is dead, think again. The artform is alive and well in many different forms.

Co-founder of the festival Paul E. Nelson wrote this essay “The Joy Of Postcards”, published by Rattle, a valuable read, https://www.rattle.com/the-joy-of-postcards/  it can get you started on exploring the medium, if you aren’t already familiar with the form.

And it’s not too late to sign up for this year’s Festival or if you are so inspired, start another version of a poetry exchange on your own. To participate in the Cascadia Poet LAB Postcard Fest click here and learn all about the various approaches to writing postcard poetry and how to participate in the festival.

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