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
The Shadormas of Kerfe Roig
From the blog of Kerfe Roig, of New York: This year I participated in Poetry Postcard Fest the Poetry Postcard Fest–where the challenge is to send a different postcard with a poem you’ve composed...
2020 Wrap-up Poetry Postcard Fest DYNAMICS
Kristen L. Ryberg Second year PoPo enter-thoughts… After signing up to two groups this year, I am struck by the connective energy our postcards, handwritten or not, carry to both giver and receiver;...
Lillian Kurosaka’s Note
Group 3: here are the cards I've received. So very grateful for your poems and images! I can't express how deeply you have moved me. FYI I've sent to everyone on group 3 list--last cards Labor day...
Sept 13, 2020 Open Mic Video
The video is produced and online. The first Poetry Postcard Fest open mic happened via Zoom on Sunday, September 13, 2020 at 4pm PDT with your humble narrator as host. There were poetry reading...
Sept 1 = End of Poetry Postcard Fest
Happy September. The fest is over, except for the stragglers. Expect a few cards coming in these next few days and then maybe one or two a few weeks late. This year with 156 days rather than 56 due...
Poetry Postcard Fest Open Mic
Please join us for the first Poetry Postcard Fest Open Mic, via Zoom, Sunday, September 13 at 4pm PDT. We'll meet for 90 minutes, discuss our 2020 Poetry Postcard Fest experience and read a few...
This Damned Time Change (By Ina)
From PPF Board Member Ina Roy-Faderman: Oh, I hate this time change, harbinger of longer days. For me, summer is rough. I thrive in the cool and the rain, which we get plenty of in the winters of...
Leggy Brucker- Poems for my mother
Poems for my mother by postcard poet Allegra Brucker Poetry Postcard Festival veteran Allegra Brucker shared this beautiful video Poems for my mother, a piece made by transforming an old board book...
Share your favorite Postcard Poems!
Show us your favorite postcard poems! The Poetry Postcard Fest team has established a NEW Instagram account for all things PPF, and we need your help to spread the love for PPF! We are asking past...
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