Poetry Postcard Fest 2027
Registration IS OPEN
The Poetry Postcard Fest is an annual 56-day experiment in spontaneity and community building. This literarary event is a self-guided workshop in spontaneous composition where people sign up & must send 31 original poems on postcards to folks on a participation list before the end of August. The fest was initiated in 2007 by poets Paul E. Nelson and Lana Ayers, and has grown to include poets participating worldwide. Registration opens annually on September 1.
Poetry as Neuro-Resilience
Explore practices that help keep consciousness attuned to the realities of the world - and discover how poetry can emerge from that depth. In this five-week workshop, Paul E. Nelson guides participants through readings, interviews, journaling, and writing exercise rooted in the Cascadia bioregion. All levels are welcome; openness and a commitment to the practice are all that's required.
Learn more about Poetry as Neuro-Resilience →
Suggested donation: $130–$275
Saturday Cohort
Saturdays 9-11 AM Pacific Time
November 21, 2026 – December 19, 2026
Sunday Cohort
Sundays 3-5 PM Pacific Time
November 22, 2026 – December 20, 2026
How it Works
The fest is a self-guided 56 day workshop in spontaneous composition and community. Click to learn more about How it Works.
Poetry Postcard Fest News
June 8 4-7 Postcards from Mapes Creek
Postcards from Mapes Creek on June 8! Join us on June 8, 2025 from 4-7 PM at Mapes Creek for a community poetry postcard gathering! At the mouth of Mapes Creek, we will gather with a postcard...
Postcards for Prisoners
From Judy Kleinberg: We had an excellent discussion of writing to incarcerated people last night in the Zoom Room. Hosted by Zach Charles and featuring Betty King of Bisbee, Arizona, Matt Trease of...
Postcards from Mapes Creek June 8
Postcards from Mapes Creek on June 8! Join us on June 8, 2025 from 4-7 PM at Mapes Creek for a community poetry postcard gathering! At the mouth of Mapes Creek, we will gather with a postcard...
Postcards for Incarcerated Poets on May 21
Join us in the CPL Zoom room on Wednesday, May 21, from 6-7:30pm PST for a panel on spontaneous composition, community building, and how postcard poems can bring those two things together! In this...
Denny Stern: Taiwan Etudes
From Postcard Poet Denny Stern: Taiwan Etudes Series Visiting Taipei in March we stumbled upon a post card intensive solo exhibit by Taiwanese artist Apex Lin, Pang-Soong. I estimated there to be...
Give BIG PPF & Your Postcard Testimonials!
Support Cascadia Poetics Lab and Poetry Postcard Fest May 6-7 Thank you for being a postcard poet! We are gearing up for another summer of postcards and postcard events, more information on the way!...
PPF Blurb from Suzanne Beaumont
From PPF 2025 participant Suzanne Beaumont: I am not certain which was more delightful: creating a poem and penning it onto a fun postcard and anticipating its receipt, or receiving a postcard...
PPF Zoom Afterparty Video!
PPF After Party Video! On Saturday, September 6, 2025, the Poetry Postcard Fest committee hosted a Zoom after party for the 2025 Poetry Postcard Fest. Founding Director Paul Nelson and PPF committee...
A Writing Exercise from Denise Levertov
Looking for inspiration to write poetry post-PPF? Consider Levertov’s Words Left in Your Pocket Exercise Read Denise Levertov’s poem “September 1961” below, paying extra attention to the lines...
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