Poetry Friday is at Linda’s site: Teacher Dance
Sometimes I sign up for things and then forget about them. So I was pleasantly surprised when I got some poetry mail this week. A while back, Jone MacCulloch asked us blogging poets to sign up for a new year postcard exchange. I signed up and ordered my postcards.
I was so pleasantly surprised this week when I received 3 postcards. I hope there are more coming.
My postcards from VistaPrint haven’t arrived yet, so if you’d like to receive one, send me your address (margaretsmn at gmail). I have the list of 10 that Jone sent me, but I’m happy to send more.
Diane Mayr does a new year postcard every year in the tradition of Nengajo, a Japanese tradition of sending a postcard including a haiku. She writes that this year’s card includes the Year of the Rooster, a reference to fire, and the word first. The background is “Yawning Apprentice” by Mihaly Munkacsy (circa 1869). She will be posting the digital version on her blog today. Here is my camera image.
In the same batch of mail, all the way from Hawaii, Joy Acey blessed me with a lovely original painting and poem. She is such a dear person whom I have never met. Some day I will fly to Hawaii to see her in her garden. Even her sweet note is poetic.
Margaret,
I was lying in bed this morning listening to the blasting rain hit the exterior of my bedroom wall and windows–these are the windows that face east so I could watch the cloud covered Sleeping Giant and the sunrise.
I’m thinking about selecting one word for a guide in the new year and I’m thinking about our poetry postcard exchange for the new year and this haiku appeared with your name written all over it.
painting and poem by Joy Acey
The third card of joyful words came from Irene Latham. She tweeted recently that she had her postcards ready, and I was secretly crossing my fingers that I would get one. The card looks like an old postcard from Germany, a gift in itself, but it was accompanied by this beautiful verse:
The Coming of Light
And here is the secret
to everything:
when you let the light it,
a river
you thought dried up
or frozen
will begin to sing.–Irene Latham
Bruckmanns Bildkarte NR
Reflections on the Teche 
I’m happy you’ve received my postcard and I wish you and all the Poetry Friday peeps a great 2017.
What a fantastic non-technical way to connect globally. I want to do this with some kids. I love these postcards. So fun. Harkens back to a simpler time, right?
These are gorgeous, Margaret. Joy’s haiku in particular is speaking to me today. I might save “Glory” for my OLW of 2018.
The power of words never ceases to amaze me. Such precious gifts from the heart all by virtue of these relationships created with words.
Those are glorious gifts to receive. I’m especially moved by Joy saying a “haiku appeared with your name written all over it.” How very sweet. Irene’s is glorious, too. Should the last word in the third line be “in” rather than “it” ? Thanks for sharing these so generously with us. Happy New Year!
What wonderful treasures! Irene’s poem about a river revival caught my heart today. It goes with your light poem! More light in 2017!
What joyful gifts of poetry to receive. I am so glad to learn about the tradition of sending poetry postcards.
Poem postcards just when you need them most. Lovely!
The postcard exchange is another way for us to send hugs to each other. I love hearing about yours, Margaret.
What beautiful postcards and and a lovely surprise. Where can I find out more information about the postcards? It is nice to see an “old fashioned” way of communicating in today’s high-tech world.
Oh, beautiful surprises! I’ve signed up also, and need to get moving!
Beautiful! This (sending postcards and real paper letters and paintings) is another custom of kindness and civility we should hang onto.
Oh! I was wondering why I was seeing postcards for sale everywhere, and lineups at the post office in the lead up to New Year’s here in Japan – what a wonderful tradition! Few things are quite as exciting as opening the mailbox and finding something handwritten just for you, especially in this age of text and email. 😊
Such heartfelt gifts! Tea, glory, and light — what more could you ask for? I am really looking forward to receiving my poem postcards!
So much warmth and joy in this post! I have my postcards in progress but am never on the ball calendar-wise, as Joy and Irene are…. it’s a lovely way to start the month (I got one from Laura Purdie Salas already, too!), and I hope the recipients on my list will think it a fine way to continue it. ;0)
Blessings to you as you find much to CHERISH in 2017.
How wonderful to find such treasures in your mailbox! I especially love Irene’s words of wisdom: “let in the light…” Thank you for sharing these gifts with us!