Poetry Postcard Fest

An annual 56 day self-guided workshop in spontaneous composition and community-building.

Poetry Postcard Fest 2025 Event Registration Banner

Poetry Postcard Fest

An annual 56 day self-guided workshop in spontaneous composition and community-building.

Poetry Postcard Fest 2025 Event Registration Banner
A five week online (Zoom) workshop for first-time and continuing participants in the online workshops facilitated by Cascadia Poetics Lab and Poetry Postcard Fest Co-Founder Paul E Nelson. Participate in reading and discussion of foundational essays, interviews, listening and other assignments, as well as spontaneous poetry composition exercises, in the first of three, five week courses to happen before next postcard season. Click to learn more.

Thursdays 3-5:00 PM Pacific Time
October 3 – October 31, 2024

Poetics As Cosmology Workshop

Poetics as Cosmology Fall 2024 Banner

Poetics As Cosmology Workshop

A five week online (Zoom) workshop for first-time and continuing participants in the online workshops facilitated by Cascadia Poetics Lab and Poetry Postcard Fest Co-Founder Paul E Nelson. Participate in reading and discussion of foundational essays, interviews, listening and other assignments, as well as spontaneous poetry composition exercises, in the first of three, five week courses to happen before next postcard season. Click to learn more.

Thursdays 3-5:00 PM Pacific Time
October 3 – October 31, 2024

Poetics as Cosmology Fall 2024 Banner

Life as Rehearsal for the Poem Workshop

Life as Rehearsal for the Poem Web Banner Fall 2024
A five week online (Zoom) workshop for first-time and continuing participants in the online workshops facilitated by Cascadia Poetics Lab and Poetry Postcard Fest Co-Founder Paul E Nelson. Participate in reading and discussion of foundational essays, interviews, listening and other assignments, as well as spontaneous poetry composition exercises, in the first of three, five week courses to happen before next postcard season. Click to learn more.

Sundays 3-5:00 PM Pacific Time
September 29 – October 27, 2024

Life as Rehearsal for the Poem Workshop

A five week online (Zoom) workshop for first-time and continuing participants in the online workshops facilitated by Cascadia Poetics Lab and Poetry Postcard Fest Co-Founder Paul E Nelson. Participate in reading and discussion of foundational essays, interviews, listening and other assignments, as well as spontaneous poetry composition exercises, in the first of three, five week courses to happen before next postcard season. Click to learn more.

Sundays 3-5:00 PM Pacific Time
September 29 – October 27, 2024

Life as Rehearsal for the Poem Web Banner Fall 2024

A 5-week online poetry workshop designed for folks with a wide variety of experience with poetry and with a keen interest in spirituality and the occult. This course is more than a workshop—it’s a journey into the unknown, where you’ll discover hidden messages and ideas both from within yourself and the outside world. Through chance, divination, games, and ritual, you’ll learn to trust your intuition and let your spontaneity guide your writing. Click to learn more.

Sundays 3-5:00 PM Pacific Time
November 10 – December 8, 2024

Poet as Radio: Writing from Intuition Workshop

Poet as Radio web banner

Poet as Radio: Writing from Intuition Workshop

A 5-week online poetry workshop designed for folks with a wide variety of experience with poetry and with a keen interest in spirituality and the occult. This course is more than a workshop—it’s a journey into the unknown, where you’ll discover hidden messages and ideas both from within yourself and the outside world. Through chance, divination, games, and ritual, you’ll learn to trust your intuition and let your spontaneity guide your writing. Click to learn more.

Sundays 3-5:00 PM Pacific Time
November 10 – December 8, 2024

Poet as Radio web banner

Share your PPF poems!

Share your PPF postcard poems! Thank you so much for another incredible, record-breaking Poetry Postcard Fest! We'd like to give you the opportunity to share your 2024 postcard poetry with the Cascadia Poetics Lab community! If you'd like, click the link below to...

Sherri Olson’s Postcard Books

How Sherri Olson organizes her postcards From PPF participant Sherri Olson: Nan’s cute binder made me think I should share my solution. Years ago at a library conference, an artist, who worked as a bookbinder while in art school, showed us how to make these recycled...

REGISTER NOW FOR PPF 2025!

Early bird registration for PPF 2025 is open now! We sincerely hope every postcard poet had an enjoyable 2024 Poetry Postcard Fest. Early bird registration for the 2025 Poetry Postcard Fest is open NOW! Register now to take advantage of a lower registration price and...

A Poetry Postcard Fest Reflection from Sally

From PPF Committee member Sally Hedges-Blanquez: It's not September, but it feels like Fall. The cooler air, the shorter days. My cards have been sent, but each day I find myself rereading cards I've received as well as looking forward to the mail. This year I've also...

Poetry Postcard Fest News

DaySong 2024

DaySong 2024

DaySong 2024 on September 1 The DaySong is a poem written in a 24 hour period (or the 16 or so hours you’re awake during a 24 hour period). The DaySong was originally envisioned as an attempt to...

read more
Zach Charles Mid ’24 PPF

Zach Charles Mid ’24 PPF

From PPF Committee Member Zach Charles: Yet again, while reflecting on the Poetry Postcard Fest, I am drawn to the way the project can reveal the power of the accident. This year, unrelated to the...

read more
This Fest is For the Birds

This Fest is For the Birds

This Fest is For the Birds From PPF committee member Margaret Lee: I arose this morning before the full moon had set. Driving west and then south en route to Deep Fork, my shifting vantage showed me...

read more
DaySong 2024

DaySong 2024

DaySong 2024 on September 1 The DaySong is a poem written in a 24 hour period (or the 16 or so hours you’re awake during a 24 hour period). The DaySong was originally envisioned as an attempt to...

read more
The Poetry Postcard Fest, initiated by poets Paul Nelson and Lana Ayers in 2007, invites participants to create and send 31 original poems on postcards throughout August. The fest emphasizes spontaneity, with poems written in one take directly onto postcards for recipients worldwide. Registration opens annually on September 1, and participants receive a list of fellow poets to exchange cards with. A $15 contribution supports the Cascadia Poetics LAB, and scholarships are available. For more details and resources on postcard poetry, visit How it Works or check out related essays and wrap-ups from past participants.

How the Poetry Postcard Fest Works

Abhaya Thomas Postcard

How the Poetry Postcard Fest Works

The Poetry Postcard Fest, initiated by poets Paul Nelson and Lana Ayers in 2007, invites participants to create and send 31 original poems on postcards throughout August. The fest emphasizes spontaneity, with poems written in one take directly onto postcards for recipients worldwide. Registration opens annually on September 1, and participants receive a list of fellow poets to exchange cards with. A $15 contribution supports the Cascadia Poetics LAB, and scholarships are available. For more details and resources on postcard poetry, visit How it Works or check out related essays and wrap-ups from past participants.

Abhaya Thomas Postcard