If I remember correctly, I received a poetry postcard from every person on my list. That is truly impressive to me. As you can see there are more than 31 cards here. Thank you to the poets from the list who sent multiple postcards. Also Thank you to Jules and Kerfe for being so generous with your postcards. I just noticed one from Kerfe is upside down (sorry, K!) What a splendid collection received between July 4 and the present of this year.

Next is the cento poem, where I took one line from each popo to create a “found” poem. Like magic, the lines fell into place.

Poetry Postcard Festival 2026 Cento

What a terribly essential resource
the spring season of their life;
the roar of raindrops,
the river tumbles in torrents,
first lightning bug mid-May.
See them, want to draw them (close)?
Let's all bask today in this beauty.

Sounds of summer deep within,
shiny by our quiet road.
The vines along the fence hold tight,
arcing from weeds and bushes;
and so they can still swing
willy nilly into the night.

I'd never questioned 
the reasonableness of always;
at times it's hard to dwell.
What a nice surprise!
Packed with tourists, yet a world away,
to hide in the trees alone,
to dye my gray mood bright,
seeking edges that marry edges
I may not reach.

Once again -- of course -- inevitably
the woods were full of possessive gentlemen.
No worries -- though -- because I see
cosmos flanks the farmland.
I prefer the scent of grain to coal.

Rising tides pulling,
I don't remember the magician
as he laughed his dazzled eyes.
He plays rings around time.
Not that I have to worry;
winter heralds the migration vacation,
unencumbered by the noise.

Today I play the lottery,
a dappled reflection of falling,
float without a care;
sorry -- I thought this was heading somewhere!

A final word: registration is open for next year’s Poetry Postcard Festival. Will you please consider participating? Go HERE for more information.