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
433. Barbara Barg, Chicago, IL – What’s Left Mambo.png
(Click here for audio of the poem)
432. to David Daniels, Denver, CO – Buttercup Mambo
(Click here for audio)
431. to Sandy Longhorn, Little Rock, AR – Wide Horizons
(Hear audio for this poem here.)
430. to Morgan Harlow, Barneveld, WI – Emperor of Wind
(Click here for audio)
429. to Stu Cawley, Chestertown, MD – Bodies of Clay
(For Audio, click here.) or
428. Age of Wind (For Judy Jensen)
OK, I jumped the gun on the 2013 Poetry Postcard Fest. Though I am posting here a month after writing and sending the first poem of 2013 (& my 428th postcard poem) I started writing the poems on...
Andrew Bell POPO2020 Afterword
AFTERWORD on the experience of August Poetry Postcard Fest 2020 (by Andrew Bell) Somehow, through no fault of anyone’s, but perhaps the tyranny of distance, I had drifted out of the Poetry Postcard...
Poetry Postcard Fest Love
Hi, Paul— I shared back in July that my dad died, and you posted that on the PoPo website. As a result, I was showered with love and kindness from so many PoPo folks that it overwhelmed me. I...
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...
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