I’ve been thinking about mail, inspired by sending off my first poem card in the Poetry Friday Summer Poem Swap, where friends send poems to other friends via snail mail (and yes, while I’m deep in winter, it’s a summer swap, because most of the participants are in the Northern Hemisphere).
I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t fascinated by the idea of people I couldn’t see writing and sending letters to me. As a child it was mostly things like birthday cards from relatives, but once I could write, it moved on to pen pals, and letters to and from my siblings and boarding school. The pen pals were a part of my life for many years, and I miss the regularity of those letters.
These days I rarely get letters in the mail – occasional fan mail, from a young reader, a very occasional invitation or card and, perhaps mostly of all, unexpected postcards or notes from friends. As for sending them – I too am sporadic. I try to send postcards to my grandchildren when I travel, and last year when I was away for a month, sent postcards to friends and family, which garnered some replies when I got home.
While we live in an age when we can message and receive replies within seconds or, of course, pick up the phone and talk, and social media lets us see our friends’ every move (if they choose to share), I don’t think I’ll ever outgrow the excitement of receiving a real life letter in the mail. So, while I wait for the Summer Poem Swap to work its magic, I thought I’d share a poem I wrote some time ago.
Mail
When Mum was little
people wrote letters
to each other
to say hello
or share their news
Or say happy birthday.
Letters were delivered
by the postman
days or even weeks
after they were written.
Nowadays
people send
texts or emails
that come straight away
and the postie
mostly just brings bills.
(Sally Murphy, 2015)
When was the last time you wrote a letter? I think I might send another one today – after I’ve checked out the Poetry Friday roundup, which is hosted this week by Tabatha who, coincidentally, is the hard working organiser of the poem swap.
Growing up my grandmother lived in New Zealand, and it was always so exciting to get a letter from her, from all the way on the other side of the world!
Pen or pencil to paper seems to move our creative juices in different ways than typing away on our computers or phones do. Thanks for your reminiscing Mail poem–Here’s to more snail mail and fewer bills, thanks Sally!
I agree, Michelle. Although I now do a lot of writing with a keyboard, I find when I’m stuck, or away from my desk, and pick up a pen, magic happens.
I found a box of old stamps that belonged to my long-deceased father-in-law. Inside I found an envelope. I recognized the writing on it as my own. He had kept the stamp, cancelled as it was, because I had written it from the Philippines in the 80’s when we lived there briefly. I used to write letters to my grandma when she spent her summers in Italy. I loved the thin air-mail stationery. Those days feel so faraway.
There was something magic about that thin air mail stationery wasn’t there?
I sometimes resolve to up my letter-writing game but it doesn’t usually last long. I’ll never totally give up though. 🙂
Me either Karen.
I love getting real mail, hand addressed, from people I know. I try to send greetings to someone each week. It’s such a delight! Love your poem!
Thanks Ramona – it’s also a delight when PF friends drop by.
Sally, I am trying to revive my own letter writing. My goal on Wednesday is to write at least one letter. This week I wrote a card to each of my two daughters and sent my first summer/winter poetry swap out to Tabatha. I do love getting things in the mail, and it’s always a surprise when it’s something good.
I hope you keep getting good things in the mail Denise. thanks for visiting.
I send photos each month by snail mail to various family members–mostly not on social media. It always feels like a chore, honestly. But then I smile when it’s finished, because I know how fun it is to get mail that isn’t bills! Laughed at your poem. So true.
I can relate to the chore thing – sometimes it’s easy to forget the why, when we create a sense of obligation – but chores are always best when finished aren’t they.
I mostly get continuing ads & lately, more election mail! My grandson moved away years ago & I’ve sent him a postcard every week since then. While I don’t do it so often now, I still do once in a while, wanting to keep our connection strong! I’ve recently been going through old family papers & the letters kept are just as we do today, tho via email or text, sharing the daily events, touching base! I love that you wrote a little history poem, Sally, “how it was”!
Thank you Linda. I knew I’d have other ‘real’ mail fans in the PF community.
My first poem swap poem went out in the mail yesterday, too!
It’s a fun thing to be part of, isn’t it?
Yes, there’s nothing like a personal message in the mail, is there? So much nicer than bills, haha! Thank you for joining us for the Summer/Winter Swap, Sally!