“Consider the Hands that Write this Letter”
BY ARACELIS GIRMAY
after Marina Wilson
Left palm pressed flat against paper,
as we have done before, over my heart,…
For the last week, I’ve been at war with the mail—junk mail that is. It was taking over my psyche. I needed some peace, some comfort so I looked to poetry, my reliable friend.
Arecelis Girmay’s poem reminded me of the beauty of receiving hand written notes. I used to have a daily practice of writing one note a day to a friend.
I looked forward to the selection of the notecards, the decision as to what to say, what not to say— the physicality of walking to the mail box and slipping each note into that slim slot.
Could I revive this practice, I mused. I doubt it. With social media, I no longer track street addresses.
The rush of receiving Christmas cards—I miss it. I used to hang all that color and glitter around the front door. Ted Kooser’s poem “Christmas Mail” calls up that era.
Cards in each mailbox,
angel, manger, star and lamb
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/244814
Meanwhile I am killing junk mail with a new weapon: Paperkarma. Download the app. It will change your life.
If you have any other effective junk mail killers, drop me a note.
Alice-Catherine 