Postal Poetry
Graduate as a published poet in 8 weeks
Classical poetry forms delivered by mail, sealed with wax. Your poems published in a cohort anthology with your name on it.
View Pricing & EnrollMade with Care. Sent with Intention.
Every week, your lesson arrives in the mail sealed with burgundy wax, the way poets corresponded for centuries. No algorithms. No notifications. Just you and your words.
This isn't digital convenience. This is intentional craft.
How It Works
Weeks 1-7:
Learn by Mail
Each week, a new classical poetry form arrives, hand-sealed with wax. Practice pages and examples from master poets included.
Weekly Meeting
Join weekly optional Zoom sessions to share work, ask questions, and connect with your cohort.
Week 8:
Celebrate
Optional graduation Zoom to share your favorite poem with the cohort. You did it.
Week 9+:
You're Published
Your anthology arrives in the month following completion. 2 copies: one to keep forever, one to share.
All Cohorts Include
- 8 weeks of lessons delivered by mail, sealed with wax
- Classical poetry forms: abecedarian, villanelle, pantoum, sestina, ghazal, terza rima, and more
- Weekly optional Zoom sessions (live instruction and community)
- Cohort naming and community building
- Professional anthology publication (100-150 pages, trade paperback, ISBN-registered)
- 2 copies of your published anthology
- Certificate of completion
Eight Weeks, Seven Forms, One Anthology
Week 1: Abecedarian
Let the alphabet guide you. Each line begins with the next letter. A through Z becomes your map through meaning.
Week 2: Villanelle
Master the form that won't let you forget it. Two refrains that repeat and build until they contain everything.
("Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas)
Week 3: Pantoum
Interlocking repetition that creates a hypnotic, meditative effect. Each line returns, transformed by new context.
Week 4: Sestina
Six words that spiral into obsession. The most challenging and rewarding form you'll ever attempt.
("Sestina" by Elizabeth Bishop)
Week 5: Your Choice (Part 1)
Ghazal (Persian couplets with refrain) or Terza Rima (Dante's interlocking tercets). Choose the form that calls to you.
Week 6: Your Choice (Part 2)
Golden Shovel (building from another poet's line) or Cento (collage poem from existing poems).
Week 7: Wild Card + Portfolio
Try an experimental form or focus on revising your best work. This is your week to shine. Final portfolio submissions due.
Week 8: Celebration
Optional Zoom graduation to share your favorite poem with the cohort. You did it.
Your Name in Print
This isn't a course that ends with a certificate you file away. It ends with a real book professionally printed, ISBN-registered, with your poems and your name on the contributor page.
Every cohort publishes together. You'll receive two copies: one for your shelf, and one to gift to someone who believed in you.
[Cohort Name]: A Collection from Postal Poetry
100-150 pages • Trade paperback • Your legacy in print
This Is For You If...
You've always wanted to be a published poet
But never had the structure, accountability, or final push to make it real.
You love the ritual of mail
Opening an envelope, unfolding paper, holding something tangible in a digital world.
You want intellectual challenge
Classical forms aren't easy. They require discipline, creativity, and craft. That's what makes them rewarding.
You're ready to claim the identity
Not "I want to be a poet someday." But "I am a published poet." Because you will be.
Join the Winter 2026 Cohort
Starts: January 5, 2026
Ends: March 2, 2026
Enrollment closes: December 31, 2025
Includes: 8 weeks of materials by mail (wax-sealed envelopes), weekly optional Zoom sessions, cohort anthology with 2 copies, certificate of completion
Books arrive: Late March 2026
2026 Cohorts
Choose the season that speaks to you
Spring 2026
Dates: March 23 - May 18, 2026
Books arrive: Early June 2026
Enrollment opens March 1, 2026
Summer 2026
Dates: June 22 - August 17, 2026
Books arrive: Early September 2026
Enrollment opens June 1, 2026
Autumn 2026
Dates: September 21 - November 16, 2026
Books arrive: Early December 2026
Enrollment opens September 1, 2026
Winter 2027
Dates: January 2027
Books arrive: Late March 2027
Enrollment opens December 2026
All cohorts include the same 8-week program and publication in your cohort anthology
Common Questions
What if I've never written poetry before?
Perfect! These forms are designed to guide beginners. The constraints actually make it easier. They give you a structure to fill rather than a blank page to face.
Do my poems need to be "good" to be published?
This is a cohort anthology celebrating your learning journey, not a competitive literary journal. If you complete the course and submit your work, you're in the book. Period.
Are the Zoom sessions required?
No. Weekly Zoom sessions are optional but highly encouraged. They're recorded if you can't attend live. The core instruction arrives by mail each week.
What if I can't complete all eight weeks?
Life happens. As long as you submit at least 3 poems by the deadline, you'll be included in the anthology. We want you to succeed.
How long are the poems?
Most forms are 15-39 lines. You'll spend 2-3 hours per week on reading, practice, and drafting. Totally manageable.
Can I see a sample of the materials?
Yes! Request our free Erasure Poetry Starter Kit below. We'll mail it to you sealed with wax so you can experience our teaching style firsthand.
Not Ready Yet? Start Here.
Request our free Erasure Poetry Starter Kit and we'll mail you:
- Complete guide to erasure poetry
- 3 source pages to practice with
- Introduction to classical forms
- Sealed with wax, just like our course materials
Your kit will arrive in 5-7 days.