poetry tuesday: postcard poetry

I had a wonderful professor in college, Jack Ridl. He is an excellent poet and one of the best teachers I've ever had. Often when we students arrived in the classroom there would be an "assignment" on the board, a writing exercise to get our minds working. One of my favorites was postcard poetry: write a poem small enough to fit on a postcard. The poems that resulted were like postcards, too; instead of telling a story, a poem that size is like a snapshot. A single image or moment or idea.

So I've been writing postcard poems. Here's one I wrote yesterday...


When you're gone

I still sleep on my
side of the bed.
A tiny part of me
hopes
if I don't look--
if I'm still enough--
you'll crawl
into bed
next to me.

October 29, 2007


Even if you're not a poet, here's a challenge for you: write a postcard poem. You can do it, it's fun! And if you're brave enough, share with us! :)