Portobello Book Blog

I had a lovely surprise yesterday when this lovely envelope popped through the letterbox. I had no idea what it could be and there were no clues on the back of the envelope either other than a typewriter stamped on it.

It wasn’t until I opened it that I remembered that I had been contacted by Alex from Poems by Post last month offering to send me a few monthly poems so I could tell my blog readers about them.

The idea is that each month Poems by Post commission a brand new poem from a different poet, type it up by hand on a typewriter (called Erika), and post it out to their subscribers. They commission artists to design the envelope and a little A6 print to match each poem’s theme, so that every month you get a different experience. The revenue generated is then used to support all kinds of grassroots artists.

This month’s poem is called ‘A home to call your own’ and is by Matt Alton. I think it’s just lovely, comparing our bodies to our homes – after all, they are our ultimate homes. I particularly like the idea that we can be a ‘castle of new stories each morning’. And isn’t the little card designed by Fay Troote and reflecting the themes in the poem so pretty too? I love the fact that each poem is hand typed and so will, in small ways, be unique. There is also the option to have a high quality printed copy instead. Part of the idea is to inspire people to explore their own creativity so it’s suggested that you write your own poem or message or even drawn something on the card and send it someone else – such a great idea.

If you like the idea of one of these poems popping through your door each month, then have a look at the Poems by Post website where you can subscribe. You can follow them on Twitter @poemsbypost or Facebook and Instagram where the name is very slightly different @poemsby.post 

Visit the website to find out more and subscribe here: Poems by Post