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
Postcards for Richard
Caring Bridge for Richard Osler “Did you know, a quick comment can boost morale by 28.2%”— Caring Bridge Longtime Poetry Postcard Fest participant Richard Osler has been diagnosed with Stage Four...
Ina’s Fest Preparation
The Poetry Postcard Fest is beginning soon! Finalized lists of the people we’re trading postcard poems with will be distributed starting this week. And each of us are preparing in our own way: those...
Judy Kleinberg on Captain Who?
Captain who??? As you may have noticed, there’s a new term in the Poetry Postcard Fest glossary for 2024: List Captain. Like many grassroots organizations that grow organically, the annual Fest...
Postcards From Here
Postcards From Here Cascadia Poetics Lab will be celebrating the Poetry Postcard Fest with its first in-person postcard event on July 14, 2024 at 11 A.M. PDT at the Olympic Sculpture Park in...
Wish You Were Here (Drew Myron)
It’s postcard season, and I’m ready! Once, a young friend went to Europe. “Send me a postcard,” I said as she departed. She arrived in the foreign country, purchased a postcard, and had no idea what...
Eyeballin’ It with Kat: One Poet’s Approach to Writing Postcard Poems
Eyeballin’ It with Kat: One Poet’s Approach to Writing Postcard Poems by Kat Bodrie I call my method for hanging framed pictures “Eyeballin’ It with Kat.” (I told my husband it’ll be the name of my...
Postcards at the Olympic Sculpture Park
Join us for another summer Poetry Postcard Fest event! On July 13, 2025 from 11 AM-3 PM PST, Cascadia Poetics Lab will be tabling at the Olympic Sculpture Park, leading the public in postcard...
PPF Address Verification JUNE 22!
PPF Address Verification THIS SUNDAY! We are changing our process for verifying we have the correct mailing address and information for PPF participants. Rather than sending a draft list, PPF...
PPF Donor Workshop Video
This past Wednesday, we hosted a workshop for donors of the 2025 Poetry Postcard Fest, where Paul Nelson provided guidance for having a successful postcard fest and led the group in generative...
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